FOLLOWS COORDINATED CENSORSHIP CAMPAIGN AGAINST FILM THAT HAD 8.3 MILLION VIEWS
FILMMAKERS ALSO ANNOUNCE 300 NEW DISTRIBUTION HOSTS WORLDWIDE THAT WILL MAKE THE FILM ACCESSIBLE TO MILLIONS MORE VIEWERS
Executive Producer Michael Moore responds to shocking new revelations from investigative news story about the organized censorship campaign: “Disgraceful. Pathetic. Enraging. Cowardly."
Movie’s director Jeff Gibbs launches new podcast to expand discussion of issues raised in the film
The filmmakers behind one of the most-watched and talked-about documentaries of the year, “Planet of the Humans,” have just announced that the film is back up on YouTube now.
The film was removed from YouTube on May 25 following a coordinated censorship campaign that resulted in a claim against four seconds of footage in the movie by a claimant who stated multiple times that he opposed the message of the film.
The film had posted over 8.3 million views on Michael Moore’s Rumble Media YouTube channel in over four weeks since its premiere on April 21, the eve of the 50th Earth Day.
The leading civil liberties organization for writers and artists, PEN America, defended the film twice and demanded that those behind the censorship campaign should cease their efforts to deny the filmmakers their right to freedom of expression.
Although the four seconds in question legally complied with the Fair Use clause of the US Copyright Law, the filmmakers decided to take the four seconds out anyway.
“Why would we want even one second in our film from anyone who believed in censorship,” producer Ozzie Zehner said.
Director Jeff Gibbs, producer Ozzie Zehner, and executive producer Michael Moore also announce today that the film has 300 new “distribution hosts” worldwide — tech sites, film festivals, magazines, poetry groups, environmentalists, teachers, filmmakers, young progressive organizations, and everyday average citizens — who will ensure that many millions more viewers will have the opportunity to watch the film.
In an appeal sent out two days ago by Moore, asking for citizens to “join the fight against the censors” by hosting the film on their sites, he was inundated with hundreds of groups, small companies, organizations and individuals who offered to co-host the documentary by streaming it, embedding it or posting it on their websites or servers.
“The response has been very heartening,” Moore said. “Having the film available now on a multiplicity of sites will make it that much harder for the people and groups we expose in this movie to take it down.”
And in response to a disinformation campaign launched by the targets of the film — environmentalists-turned eco-capitalists who have gotten into bed with Wall Street, big banks, and others profiting off of “green technology” — director Jeff Gibbs has launched the “Planet of the Humans Podcast.”
“‘Planet of the Humans’ is a powerful examination of how so-called “green capitalists” have “taken over our beloved environmental movement and are causing us to lose the battle to stop the meltdown of our earthly life support systems,” the film’s writer and director Jeff Gibbs said. “Our movie has captured the attention of the nation and created desperately needed discussion.”
In response to the shocking new revelations in an investigative news story by journalist Matt Orfalea, Oscar®-winner Michael Moore, the executive producer and distributor of “Planet of the Humans” (via his Rumble Media outfit) said, “I was very sad to see so-called progressives attempting to stifle free expression and secretly emailing allies in the movement to have the film taken down. It is disgraceful, pathetic, enraging and cowardly. It is also contrary to the values of anyone that considers themself an artist, filmmaker or journalist."
The piece by Orfalea revealed previously unreported emails from filmmaker Josh Fox leading the censorship campaign within hours of the film being released. According to the article:
On April 22 at 12:41 am, Fox — now a show host at TYT, the largest online news network — told his colleagues, “It must come down off your pages immediately.” He repeated, “IMMEDIATELY.”
In a second email at 1:05 am, Fox urged another group full of public relations professionals and organizers to help suppress the film. “A number of reputable websites are hosting this abomination and I need your support in getting them to take it down”.
At 1:49 pm Josh tweeted 350.org founder, Bill McKibben. “We are on it”.
The article also quotes Films For Action Director Tim Hjersted calling Fox's public claims about the film "incredibly misleading," after Fox falsely claimed that Films For Action was the "distributor" of the film and had taken the film down.
“This is our environmental movement, our future — and frankly the future of life on Earth that is at stake," Moore said. "‘Environmentalists' funded by wealthy foundations and billionaires, and that partner with for-profit capitalism, want you to believe it’s their environmental movement, but everyone needs to have a seat at the table and a voice in this great debate—while there is still time.”
“Planet of the Humans” suggests that the saving of planet earth cannot happen by colluding with wealthy interests who have a desire to make money off the “green energy” movement.
“We are so far gone with our destruction of life as we know it, only a radical reversal that includes reducing consumption, growth, and greed will give us a chance to turn things around,” director Jeff Gibbs said.Background
Released on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic, “Planet of the Humans" takes a harsh look at how the environmental movement has lost the battle through well-meaning but disastrous choices, including the belief that solar panels and windmills would save us, and by giving in to the corporate interests of Wall Street.
The film is the debut movie from Jeff Gibbs, whom Moore calls “a brave and brilliant filmmaker whose new voice must be heard.”
Gibbs is a lifelong environmentalist and longtime collaborator of Moore’s with whom he co-produced “Bowling for Columbine” and “Fahrenheit 9/11.”
“Planet of the Humans” first screened as a work in progress at the most recent Traverse City Film Festival where it was a huge audience favorite.
This compelling, must-see movie – a full-frontal assault on our sacred cows – is guaranteed to generate anger, debate, and, hopefully, a willingness to see our survival in a new way—before it’s too late.
“Planet of the Humans” Reading List
Salon: Why "Planet of the Humans," Michael Moore’s new film about green energy, is so controversial; The documentary, directed by Jeff Gibbs and produced by Moore, is streaming free on YouTube now
More critical acclaim for “Planet of the Humans”
Interviews with the filmmakers behind “Planet of the Humans” including TV, radio, podcasts, and live Q&A events
Articles by director Jeff Gibbs and responses to criticisms of the film
