'5 Broken Cameras' director said held at LAX

Palestinian director detained at LAX for not providing "proper" Oscars invitation, US filmmaker Michael Moore tweets.

FEBRUARY 20, 2013 14:27

Palestinian journalist Emad Burnat 370 (photo credit: REUTERS) — Palestinian journalist Emad Burnat 370

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Oscar-nominated American documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has taken to Twitter to express his dissatisfaction with immigration officials at LAX airport in Los Angeles, after they allegedly threatened to send fellow filmmaker Emad Burnat, "back to Palestine."

Burnat had been visiting LA to attend the 85th Annual Academy Awards. He had been nominated in the category of Best Documentary for his film "5 Broken Cameras."

"5 Broken Cameras" documents the first years of life for Burnat's baby against the backdrop of the West Bank village of Bil'in's battle against the Israeli security fence. Five of Burnat's cameras were smashed by the Israeli army as he documented friends and family members being shot and injured by Israeli troops. The film won the documentary director's award this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

According to Moore, once Burnat presented the authorities with his invitation to the 85th Annual Academy Awards, he was told that his official Oscars invitation wasn't "proper". Moore then tweeted the entire incident as relayed to him by Burnat.

Emad, his wife & 8-yr old son were placed in a holding area and told they didn't have the proper invitation on them to attend the Oscars.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 20, 2013

I called Academy officials who called lawyers. I told Emad to give the officers my phone # and to say my name a couple of times.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 20, 2013

After being detained for an hour and a half, Moore tweeted that they had been released and told they could "stay in LA for the week & go to the Oscars."

"It's nothing I'm not already used to," he told me later. "When u live under occupation, with no rights, this is a daily occurrence."
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 20, 2013

Moore ended his tweeting rampage simply with, "Welcome to America."