AP Wire: Scheduled "Fahrenheit 9/11" screening prompts hot debate

Scheduled "Fahrenheit 9/11" screening prompts hot debateMEADVILLE, Pa. - Rising temperatures have apparently canceled plans to screen the controversial film "Fahrenheit 9/11" at a nonprofit community theater.

Michael Moore's assault on President Bush's handling of the Sept. 11 attacks was scheduled to be shown Sept. 4-5 at the Academy Theatre's annual film series. But the foundation that oversees the Meadville theater said it would postpone the screening until after the Nov. 2 election.

The committee that runs the film series objected to the delay, saying the movie would lose its impact and also is scheduled to be released on DVD Oct. 5. The panel decided to cancel the booking altogether, film series committee chairman Don Goldstein said.

The foundation usually doesn't get involved in film booking, but people started to complain about the movie being scheduled close to the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, foundation president Ted Watts said. Some also said the theater shouldn't show films with a political agenda, and donors even threatened to pull their funding if the theater showed the film, he said.

"We're caught in the middle," Watts said. "All I can say is I hope we survive it. This has really polarized our community and that's really unfortunate.""