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July 29, 2005Panel: Art first, politics secondFilms should be entertaining, Moore saysBY LINDSAY VANHULLERecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Michael Moore says political movies that focus on politics first and art second aren't an effective way to convey a message. His films have covered everything from the Flint auto industry to the Bush administration. In making those films, Moore told those attending Thursday's first free daily panel discussion at the Opera House, he believed more people would get the message if it could be presented in an entertaining way. "So much of what was coming through in cinema or other art forms was that wagging finger," Moore told a crowd at "Is it Art? Or is it Politics? Traverse City Wants to Know." "By focusing on the art first, the politics would reach more people." Livonia resident Carl Medwedeff said that was the message that would stick with him the most. He was among a full house of about 300 attending Thursday's gathering. "One thing I came away with was I think he was right about not pointing fingers," Medwedeff said. "That's good advice for people to follow." In promoting the festival, Moore repeatedly said it's not about politics. He said the issue was magnified by founders of the conservative Traverse Bay Freedom FilmFest, which opens today with films about Ronald Reagan, the Iraq War and the documentary, "Michael Moore Hates America." But Moore said the sole purpose of creating the Traverse City Film Festival was to bring quality films to Traverse City, not to promote his political views. "(It wasn't), 'Soon all of Traverse City will be voting our way,'" he said, lowering his voice to a mock sinister tone, which had the crowd laughing. "There was no discussion about politics." Even though the film festival isn't about politics, he said there is no shame in being political. "When in this great democracy did political become a dirty word?" Moore asked the crowd at the City Opera House. "Political is a beautiful word when you live in a free democracy, because if you're not political, you lose the democracy." For his first film, "Roger and Me," Moore said he tried to infuse humor into the story of Flint - a "dying car town" that faced high layoffs and unemployment. Adding entertainment and comedy to the film helped draw people into what he had to say, Moore said. "He wants to tell stories and entertain people, and he does," said Bloomfield Hills resident Marianne Stefan, who attended the session. "People wouldn't watch them if they weren't entertaining." Moore said he hoped people could eventually forget their political differences. "Why can't we have our different political views and still all get along?" Moore said. "That's the America I want to live in, where we can have our differences but still come together for the greater good of the community."
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