By Zoe Keown
FORMER Scots Labour MP George Galloway is hoping to launch a new career in Hollywood presenting documentary films.
Keen to follow in the footsteps of left-winged film maker Michael Moore, Galloway is set to tackle the Palestinian troubles in Gaza.
He said: “I’m off to California on Saturday to speak to people in the film business about a long-standing idea I’ve had to do a Michael Moore type treatment of the Palestinian conflict.
“Think of Fahrenheit 9/11 but about Palestine and the siege on Gaza and the settlements on the West Bank and so on.”
As an admirer of Moore’s work, Galloway was keen to stress that he did not want to copy his work.
He added: “He’s sensationally successful. I’m a great admirer of his work. I don’t want to copy him but to emulate him in the way he tackles issues.
“The story is attractive and controversial. I like trying to do things that have never been done before.”
Galloway – who campaigned for the creation of a Palestinian state – said meetings with movie executives have already been lined up and he hoped to raise between £2m and £4m for his project.
He said: “In 2005 I got quite friendly with Sean Penn and Warren Beatty. I’m going to go and see them, I hope, and several other film people on the production and directorial side.
“I’ve got a potential director — he’s quite famous — me, as a known person in the United States, Britain and throughout the Arab world, and we’ve got the story.”
Speaking about the results of the recent election, it’s clear that British politics haven’t left the MPs heart.
He said: “I was very disappointed. It’s quite a wrench, especially with a hung parliament — that would have been a very interesting thing to be involved with.”
