Michael Moore's Sicko brought a red carpet, crowds of reporters, health care critiques and a lot of hype to London last week when it premiered at Silver City.

Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 contributed to his success producing two of the most controversial and award winning documentaries Moore now adds to that list Sicko, which opens nationally June 29.

The film, which was initially viewed during the Cannes Film Festival in France over the May long-weekend, takes viewers on another journey as he goes in-depth with health-care around the world.

Throughout the film Moore struggles to open the eyes of our U.S neighbours as the world discovers the harsh reality that the American people are not receiving the free nationwide health care, which is offered in other countries, such as here in Canada, Cuba, France and the United Kingdom.

The documentary entitled Sicko compares treatment of two patients who both require surgery. The patient from London, Ontario is treated at St. Joseph's Hospital and covered by the Ontario Health Insurance plan for the re-attachment of four fingers. In contrast, medical professionals within the U.S only re-attached one of the two fingers lost by an American patient, due to the patients' financial situation that would not cover the $60,000 medical bill for his surgery.

Moore created a stir legally over the making of this film when he brought Americans to Cuba to be treated at Guantanamo Bay, an American Naval Base. Insurance issues were also raised when every major insurance company refused to assist Moore in the making of his film.

Moore is scheduled to testify on June 12 in Sacramento, California regarding his travels to Cuba during filming.

According to Moore, there are many non-profit socialized services available across the world, such as the fire departments and police services, which are both life and death issues and demanding profit from those requiring their services would be out of the question. Coincidently, health care is a life and death issue and yet they demand coverage of their services before they will admit any patient therefore this film promotes and encourages the idea of socialized health services world-wide.

The film received standing ovations during both viewings as invitation only guests, lucky radio ticket winners and Michael Moore himself were in attendance here in the Forest City. On Friday, June 8 Sicko hit the big screen at 7 pm, as the rest of the London community anticipates the release of the documentary across the country at the end of the month.