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Hollywood Hails Fahrenheit 9/11 Michael Moore, who was lionized at the Festival de Cannes, where his new documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" won the Palme d'Or, arrived in Beverly Hills on Tuesday night for the film's American debut and was treated like a conquering hero at a political rally. The film unspooled at two A-list-packed screenings: The first was held at 7 p.m. at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' Samuel Goldwyn Theater, and the second at the Music Hall Theatre was scheduled for 10 p.m. but postponed for half an hour to accommodate celebrities arriving from the overtime Lakers game. Addressing the audience, Moore said he was "hopeful and optimistic about what will transpire over the coming months" after the film hits theaters and the ballots are counted in the 2004 presidential election. "There has been a shift in this country," Moore said at the Goldwyn Theater, noting that the last time he had been in that house was the night in March 2003 when war broke out in Iraq. "Doing the book tour a few months ago (for "Dude, Where's My Country"), the largest crowds were in places like Coleman, Wash., and Worcester, Ohio, with thousands of people coming out," Moore said of the political currents in which he swims. "It's gone beyond the Berkeleys and the Ann Arbors. It reminds me of a saying of Abraham Lincoln: 'If you give people the facts, the republic will be safe.' And I fully believe that. I hope this country will be back in our hands in a very short period of time." Moore's statements received rousing applause from the celeb- and executive-heavy crowd at the night's first screening. Miramax Films' Harvey Weinstein, who financed and executive produced the documentary with brother Bob Weinstein, opened the evening, thanking his new distribution partners at Lions Gate Films and IFC Films before making light of the mini-major's clashes with parent company the Walt Disney Co. over distribution of the politically charged "Fahrenheit." "On a personal note, in tomorrow's Los Angeles Times, my brother and I have placed an ad that reads: 'Two executives looking for a company to run. Resumes available,' " Harvey Weinstein joked. He introduced Endeavor partner Ari Emanuel, who represents Moore. In introducing the film, Emanuel voiced his gratitude to the Weinsteins for the support of Moore and his cause. "I'm really thankful to Harvey and Bob because I don't know anybody on the studio side that would put up their whole company to support our story," he said. Moore later praised his new distribution partners for planning a June 25 opening that should be the largest launch ever for a documentary. IFC's Jonathan Sehring said the film is expected to roll out on "anywhere between 500 and 800 screens." Accompanying Moore and his docu at its first American showing were Lions Gate Films' Tom Ortenberg, John Feltheimer and Peter Block, and IFC's Sehring and Caroline Kaplan. The guest list, divided between the two screenings, included Jodie Foster, Meg Ryan, Drew Barrymore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Billy Crystal, Sharon Stone, Matthew Perry, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Danny DeVito, Garry Shandling, Ellen DeGeneres, Lawrence Bender, David Duchovny, Tea Leoni, Spike Jonze, Viggo Mortensen, Arianna Huffington, Bill Maher, Chris Rock, Brett Ratner, Jack Black, Sharon Osborne, Camryn Manheim, Rosanna Arquette and Larry David. "It's like a mini-Oscars tonight," Ortenberg said. "I've never seen such a turnout for a film that didn't have big movie stars in it. But the film speaks for itself, and the film works on its own merits. And as more people see it and word-of-mouth spreads, there will be a groundswell of support." Rob Reiner, well known for his political activism, said: "I think this is one of the most important films ever made. It has the potential of actually affecting the election, and if it does, it will change the world. There are very few films or works of art that have a profound effect on world affairs," he said, mentioning "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang." "But this actually has a chance to change the world." Reiner said for him _ since he follows politics closely _ the film didn't present new facts, but it did offer emotional stories. "But the things that were the most powerful and emotional for me," he said, "were seeing a gold star mother who lost a son in Iraq and how she broke down and changed her view of why we send our young sons and daughters off to war and seeing that elderly woman say, 'I was duped.' Because (with those scenes) we know that what's happened is getting through to people." After the first screening, an excited Moore said: "I feel very privileged to be here. You don't get a night like this often in your life. I feel very honored by it, and the ball is already out the door and moving pretty fast."
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