Palestinian filmmaker Burnat detained at LAX on way to Oscars

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LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Emad Burnat, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-nominated documentary "5 Broken Cameras," was detained by officials at Los Angeles International Airport.

Burnat, 41, had traveled to the United States to attend Sunday's Oscars ceremony. He, his wife and their 8-year-old son were detained for about 90 minutes at the California airport by immigration officials, the Los Angeles Times said.

Burnat sent an urgent message to U.S. documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, asking for help and Moore responded by posting a message on Facebook saying: "Apparently the Immigration & Customs officers couldn't understand how a Palestinian could be an Oscar nominee. Emad texted me for help."

The Times said the matter was resolved after immigration officials contacted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and attorneys to verify the identities of Burnat and his family, who also appear in his film.