CANNES -- Miramax Films co-chairmen Harvey and Bob Weinstein are nearing a deal with Miramax parent The Walt Disney Co. to personally buy back in full Miramax's interest in Michael Moore's documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11."

The Weinsteins would then be free to find another distributor to release the film, which is scheduled to have its world premiere Monday at the Festival de Cannes.

Under the deal currently being discussed, the Weinsteins in effect would reimburse Miramax the $5 million-$6 million that Miramax advanced Moore last year.

The arrangement is said to be similar to one that the Weinsteins struck in order to take Kevin Smith's 1999 religious comedy "Dogma" to distributor Lions Gate after Disney refused to allow Miramax to distribute the film, which faced protests from some Catholics over its content.

A Miramax spokesman in New York released a statement Wednesday saying, "We are very happy that Disney has agreed to sell 'Farenheit 9/11' to Bob and Harvey. (Miramax) is providing Disney a term sheet based on the deal previously done on 'Dogma.' Bob and Harvey look forward to promptly completing the transaction."

Disney spokesperson Zenia Mucha confirmed: "We are in discussions for Harvey and Bob Weinstein to personally purchase Miramax's rights to 'Fahrenheit 9/11.' Both sides are interested in completing this as soon as possible."

Although a few recent press reports suggested that Disney had been refusing to allow the Weinsteins to purchase the rights, Mucha said that was not the case, emphasizing that "we have been in discussions for some period of time."

Moore's documentary, which explores the relationship between the Bush family's ties with Saudi Arabia and America's foreign policy post-Sept. 11, became the center of a growing controversy last week when Moore charged that he had just learned that Disney was refusing to allow Miramax to distribute the movie.

Disney countered that it told the Weinsteins last year that it was not in Disney's interest to allow Miramax to distribute the politically charged movie. And, in fact, Miramax had never put the film on its release schedule.

Nevertheless, the controversy quickly escalated to the point where Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., issued a call for a Senate hearing into corporate censorship of the news media and the entertainment industry.

Under the deal that is nearing completion, the Weinsteins are expected to repay Miramax its investment in the film. Disney would retain no interest in the contoverisal property. And the Weinsteins would then control the domestic rights to the film. International rights are being handled by French sales banner Wild Bunch.

Finding a new distributor is not expected to be difficult, despite the controversy already surrounding the movie. Focus Features and Newmarket Films are two distributors who are known to have expressed interest in screening the film.

The Weinsteins took a similar tack when "Dogma" became too hot for Disney to handle. The two brothers personally acquired all rights to the film and formed an independent entity to sell distribution rights to the film, which was released domestically by Lions Gate.