The Academy of activity Picture Arts and Sciences is allowing for action against a producer of "The Hurt Locker" who sent multiple e-mails wiles academy members to vote for his movie in the Oscar best-picture race and "not a $500 million film" — an clear position to close-competitor "Avatar."
The e-mails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four selected producers for "The Hurt Locker" and who put up the financing to make the front-running film, violated the academy's rule against sending mailings that "attempt to promote any film or success by casting a negative light on a competing film or success," according to academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger.
The first e-mail was sent Feb. 19 and obtained by the allied Press. ensuing e-mails, posted by the Los Angeles Times, showed Chartier giving more specific instructions, asking Oscar voters to rank "The Hurt Locker" at No. 1 and "Avatar" at No. 10 on this year's preferential ballot for the newly expanded best-picture category "Hurt Locker" distributor Summit Pictures said in a statement it was "completely unaware of any e-mails that were sent until we were alerted by the academy earlier this week."
