Early local premiere for controversial film

Published by the Communications and Development Department

14 July 2004

An advance screening of Fahrenheit 9/11 has been organised by the campus radio station, rdu, and the University’s School of Culture, Literature and Society.

Perhaps the most controversial film of the year, Fahrenheit 9/11 is Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's examination of the Bush Administration's actions in the wake of 11 September. With his characteristic humour, Moore scrutinises the “atmosphere of confusion, suspicion and dread [as] the Bush Administration makes its headlong rush towards war in Iraq”.

Dr Howard McNaughton, Head of the School of Culture, Literature and Society, emphasises that such sponsorship does not imply political endorsement or identification with the filmmaker’s perspective. “Cultural Studies, one of the programmes in our school, is centrally concerned with cultural policy - looking at how dominant groups within society use their power to shape cultural formations. If censorship is often the most visible form of such power-broking, cultural studies is equally interested in scrutinising more subtle influences which often pass unnoticed. The production and reception of a film like this offers a wealth of issues to the cultural policy analyst.”

This is the second Christchurch film premiere Cultural Studies has negotiated this year - six weeks ago it presented Derrida, described as “the greatest film ever made about a living philosopher”. Two years ago, Cultural Studies worked with rdu to sponsor the premiere of Dean Hapeta’s “rapumentary” at the Rialto.

Fahrenheit 9/11 will screen at the Rialto on July 23, within a month of its world premiere. Tickets are available from rdu. The public season will open about a fortnight later.