Last week, I mentioned that Magnolia Pictures had acquired the distribution rights for the documentary Jesus Camp, and had yanked the film from Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival because they want to promote the film to conservative churches and don’t want the film to be tainted by association with Moore. Now, the Hollywood Reporter, via Reuters, reports that the festival seems to be ignoring Magnolia’s request, and still plans to show the film today (a screening that is already sold out) and tomorrow.
UPDATE: Michael Moore speaks! A new story reports:
In a statement issued Friday, Moore called Magnolia’s request “truly one of the worst publicity stunts I have ever seen.”
Moore added, “I had no intention of showing ‘Jesus Camp’ in this festival. The producers begged me to show it. I said OK. Then they sent me the film this week to show it in the festival. (Then), one day before its screening, after all its tickets have been sold, they sent me and the press a fax saying they want the film pulled.”
And Moore would know all about publicity stunts, right?
AUG 5 UPDATE: Jeffrey Wells talks to Magnolia president Eammon Bowles, and in the course of reporting their conversation, Wells asks, “But c’mon, honestly…does anyone anywhere know of any evangelicals who are liberal-minded and drive hybrid cars, and who voted for John Kerry in ’04?” He must be joking. (One of the first comments posted in response is from Chris Willman, a former reporter for CCM who now writes for Entertainment Weekly.)
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