Disney unleashes a star-spangled riposte to Moore

FT.com /Arts & Weekend/Film & television: "Walt Disney, which refused to distribute Michael Moore's controversial Fahrenheit 9/11, is using the Fourth of July holiday to launch a feelgood feature film about the American people.

Michael Eisner, Disney's chief executive, last year told executives at Miramax, the company's independent subsidiary, that he would not approve the release of Moore's film. Shortly before the Cannes film festival, Eisner repeated his edict, sparking accusations of censorship and a row with Miramax's founders, Harvey and Bob Weinstein, all of which helped to fuel the publicity for Fahrenheit 9/11.

The Weinsteins eventually bought the rights to the film with their own money and distributed it through Lion's Gate and IFC films. Last weekend, Fahrenheit 9/11 raked in $24m (£13m) at the box office, a record for a documentary. By Wednesday the release had been widened from 868 to an estimated 1,200 screens, and total takings had expanded to almost $36m."

By Holly Yeager
Peter Thal Larsen

NOTE: There is a rumor that Disney-owned Buena Vista Home Entertainment will distribute Fahrenheit 9/11 on DVD in September.