Rafael Barker, a board member of the West Virginia International Film Festival, presents a surprise birthday cake to filmmaker Michael Moore Sunday during the festival at the LaBelle Theater in South Charleston. Moore, whose 62nd birthday was Saturday, attended screenings of his latest film “Where to Invade Next” on Saturday and Sunday.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — When Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore’s birthday trip to Rome was canceled, he decided to take a trip to the next best city — Charleston.
Coincidentally, on Moore’s 62nd birthday, the West Virginia International Film Festival was showing Moore’s film, “Where to Invade Next,” at the LaBelle Theater in South Charleston.
Moore was originally supposed to attend the Italian premiere of his movie, but the premiere was pushed back.
Moore’s friends arranged for him to be at the showing of the movie, which surprised both Moore and audience members.
Moore, who has been sick with pneumonia, said the Saturday night showing was the first time he was able to watch the movie in a theater.
On Sunday, Moore returned to the theater for the 3 p.m. showing, where audience members met him with a standing ovation followed with the song “Happy Birthday…
