You may already know it because I mention it often in blogs, but I love the Academy Awards. It is the one day of the year when everything in my household must come to a complete stop for 12 hours of constant coverage.
This year will be no different. I am extra excited because I’ve seen many of the Best Picture nominated films.
One film that I was eagerly awaiting the release of was The Hurt Locker. Despite the fact that my husband is a U.S. marine, I am not typically a fan of films about the Iraq war. But, this one peaked my interest because it starred Jeremy Renner, whom I remember watching in 2003’s “The It Factor,” a reality show about up and coming actors.
I really enjoyed seeing the film. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including a Best Actor nod for Renner. I was pleased when it won several BAFTAs, including Best Director and Best Picture. The BAFTAs, the British version of the Academy Awards, is often seeing as a foreshadowing of the Oscar winners.
But, now a scandal is brewing that may hurt the film’s chances.
One of the producers of the film, Nicolas Chartier, sent the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the people who vote for the Oscars) emails asking them to vote for The Hurt Locker and “not a $500 million film.” In case you don’t get the reference, he was referring to Avatar.
Now, when it is voting time, things have from time to time gotten nasty between those nominated. But, in sending the emails, Chartier violated an Academy rule against sending out a mailing in an “attempt to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement.”
Chartier issued an apology, saying “My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it.”
As for the Academy, they will wait until voting closes at 5 p.m. next Tuesday before deciding what action, if any, to take against Chartier. Among the things it might do is publically condone Chartier’s actions or take away Chartier’s tickets to the Oscars, but it is unlikely the film will be removed from Best Picture contention.
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