TRAVERSE CITY, MI (Sept. 4, 2008) -- After 20 years of making groundbreaking films and setting box office records -- from "Roger & Me" to "Bowling for Columbine" to "Sicko" – Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore has decided to thank his many fans by giving them a download of his newest film, "Slacker Uprising," for free.

This will be the first major feature-length film by a noted director to debut for free via the internet. No theatrical release, no DVD release (at first), no TV airing, and not a streaming video (like on YouTube) – just a completely free, download-it-and-you-own-it first-run movie.

"Slacker Uprising" traces Michael Moore’s 62-city tour of the swing states during the 2004 Presidential election and records the thrilling -- and frightening -- response he received across the country.

The 97-minute film will be available for a pristine, high-resolution, free download to any North American resident beginning on September 23. Anyone who wishes to sign up for the free download in advance may do so as of today by going to the website SlackerUprising.com and ordering it for free.

Moore, who has made three of the five top-grossing documentaries of all time (including to #1 grossing doc, “Fahrenheit 9/11”), said he is doing this giveaway for personal reasons. "I realized that in a few months it will be the 20th anniversary of my first film, 'Roger & Me'," he said. "I've been very blessed and fortunate to have so many people come to my movies over these two decades, I decided the way to say thanks was to make one that the fans can have for free, as a show of my profound appreciation of their support."

The free download is being organized and distributed by Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films.

Neither Moore nor Brave New Films will make any money from the film, which had a budget of over $2 million. The film was funded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, along with funding from Moore himself. "This is being done entirely as a gift to my fans," said Moore. "The only return any of us are hoping for is the largest turnout of young voters ever at the polls in November. I think 'Slacker Uprising' will inspire million to get off the couch and give voting a chance."

Moore says he hopes local groups, individuals, or candidates themselves will take the movie and show it in community centers, local theaters, union halls, churches -- "or wherever," says Moore. "I want people to be creative and show this everywhere, from their living rooms to their college campuses to their local cinemas. They have my blanket permission to do so. And if a candidate or a group wants to use it as a fundraiser, go right ahead!"

Moore and Greenwald plan to premiere the film the night before the free download on September 22 at “a theater full of slackers” in New York.

They are also planning a "Night of a Thousand House Parties" on Sunday, October 5, where the public will hold neighborhood screenings of "Slacker Uprising" and Moore will then speak live at the end of the film via satellite.

The free download will be available for three weeks and on September 23rd, a low-cost DVD of “Slacker Uprising” with bonus features will be available for purchase on the SlackerUprising.com website for individuals whom wish to have a packaged copy of the film. On October 7, the packaged DVD will be available at retail stores, through Amazon and on Netflix. "Again," says Greenwald, "the price is being kept low as none of us want to see any profit from this."

Moore's goal four years ago (when "Slacker Uprising" was filmed), was to convince millions of non-voting "slackers” -- mostly between the ages of 18-29 -- to give voting a try. Starting out in Elk Rapids, Michigan, in front of an audience of 400, the tour caught on like wildfire with up to 16,000 slackers each night coming to see Moore and his traveling band of speakers, comedians, and musicians.

To encourage the slackers to show up, they were offered a clean change of underwear, free Ramen noodles, and a promise that no event would start before noon and no politician would be allowed to speak. These enticements filled basketball arenas and football stadiums every night on the "Slacker Uprising Tour."

Part concert tour, part stand-up comedy performance and part rock concert, SLACKER UPRISING is an uplifting and patriotic look at the birth of a new political generation in America -- a generation of young people who would signal the eventual era of “Obamania” that would take place just four years later.

Along with Moore's appearance, "Slacker Uprising" features live performances or appearances by Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam), Roseanne Barr, Joan Baez, Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine), R.E.M., Steve Earle, and Viggo Mortensen.

The tour had its share of controversy. It was banned from a number of campuses like George Mason University in Virginia. Other colleges, like University of Nevada-Reno were offered large donations by local Republicans if they would cancel Moore's appearance. Many were threatened with violence and boycotts if Moore and friends stepped foot on campus. The Republican Party in Michigan asked prosecutors to arrest Moore for offering the clean underwear and quick-cook noodles as a "bribe" to get young people to vote.

In the end, young people set an all-time record for voter turnout -- and they were the only age group that John Kerry won.

"In the interest of fair warning, people who are not fans of mine will not like this movie," Moore states cautiously. "This movie has way too much of me in it, and way too many tens of thousands of people liking what I'm saying. If you're a McCain fan, this film should probably be rated X." (The film is unrated, but has no sex, violence or excessive bad language, other than a few epithets hurled at Moore.)

To view a trailer and a scene from "Slacker Uprising," go to www.slackeruprising.com