Michael Moore's latest documentary might not hit the big screen -- at least in the United States.

The Walt Disney Co. is blocking its Miramax Films division from distributing "Fahrenheit 9/11," which criticizes President George W. Bush's handling of the 2001 attacks. The film also reportedly claims links the Bush family with Osama bin Laden's family.

"I would have hoped by now that I would be able to put my work out to the public without having to experience the profound censorship obstacles I often seem to encounter," Moore said in a statement on his official Web site.

SURVEY Disney is blocking its Miramax Films division from distributing Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 911," which criticizes President Bush's handling of 9/11. Should this film be released? Yes No Results  |  Disclaimer

Moore said he was told by Disney Tuesday of the decision. On his site, he cited a New York Times article published Wednesday that addressed the controversy.

In the article, Moore's agent Ari Emanuel said that Disney chief Michael Eisner asked him to pull out of the deal with Miramax last spring -- expressing concern that it might endanger the tax breaks Disney gets with the state of Florida, which is governed by Bush's brother, Jeb.

"He definitely indicated there were tax incentives he was getting for the Disney corporation and that's why he didn't want me to sell it to Miramax," Emnauel told the Times. "He didn't want a Disney company involved."

Disney executives denied the accusation, said the Times, but did not hide the fact that they were displeased with the deal.

On his site, Moore detailed the struggle of getting the movie made.

"The whole story behind this (and other attempts) to kill our movie will be told in more detail as the days and weeks go on," Moore said in the statement on his site. "For nearly a year, this struggle has been a lesson in just how difficult it is in this country to create a piece of art that might upset those in charge (well, OK, sorry -- it WILL upset them -- big time. Did I mention it's a comedy?)."

Also in the statement, Moore thanked Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein and the company, "who have stood by me during the entire production of this movie."

The New York Times reported Disney has a contractual agreement with Miramax principals Bob and Harvey Weinstein allowing it to prevent the company from distributing films under certain circumstances, including films that have an excessive budget or carry an NC-17 rating.

But, according to the Times, Miramax executives don't believe this is the case with "Fahrenheit 9/11." The paper said mediation could be an alternative if a compromise isn't reached, but says the parties involved do not want to travel that route.

"We're discussing the issue with Disney," said Matthew Hiltzik, a spokesman for Miramax, in a statement published by the Times. We're looking at all of our options and look forward to resolving this amicably."

"Fahrenheit 9/11" is slated to make its debut in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in Paris next week. It is one of three American entries in the 18-film competition.

Moore is no stranger to political controversy. Just as the war in Iraq was getting under way last year, Moore shamed Bush during his acceptance speech for his Best Documentary Oscar for "Bowling For Columbine" -- a film chronicled the Columbine High School shooting and gun culture in America.

Moore, who invited his fellow documentary nominees onstage in a show of "solidarity," said, "We like nonfiction and we live in fictitious times. We live in a time when we have fictitious election results that elect fictitious presidents."

The crowd half-cheered and half-jeered his remarks, but the sounds turned to mostly boos as he went on: "We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons, whether it's the fiction of duct tape, or the fiction of orange alerts -- we are against this war Mr. Bush. Shame on you Mr. Bush, shame on you."

Moore is also known for the 1989 film "Roger and Me," which explored the effects of General Motors on his hometown of Flint, Mich.