Controversial film set for UK release

A documentary about the events surrounding 9/11 and George Bush's links with the Middle East has been given a UK release date.

11:44 18 June 2004

A documentary about the events surrounding 9/11 and George Bush's links with the Middle East has been given a UK release date.

Influential director Michael Moore's documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11" will hit UK cinemas on July 9th.

Moore's last film, "Bowling for Columbine", went on to become the best performing documentary of all time - as well as picking up an Oscar.

"Fahrenheit 9/11" has already won the Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

The movie features footage of corpses of US soldiers being burnt, dragged behind a truck and strung up. There are also reported to be scenes of US soldiers mistreating Iraqi prisoners, as well as strong criticism of US foreign policy.

For a while it appeared as though Moore's film would not be screened at all. Disney, the parent company of the film's producers Miramax, decided it would not distribute it. Moore claimed this was censorship, while Disney pointed out that they receive substantial subsidies from Florida - a state run by George Bush's brother Jeb.

These early problems were sorted out when Miramax bosses bought the rights to the film from Disney, and distributed it on their own.

More than 1,000 prints of the film have been distributed to US cinemas.

"Fahrenheit 9/11" is set for US release in on June 25th.