The board of governors at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has disqualified an Oscar nominee.
“Alone Yet Not Alone,” from the film of the same name, will not appear on Oscar ballots when the final round of voting begins this February.
The board met this week to discuss the allegations that were made against the nominee.
They concluded that its writer, Bruce Broughton; “had emailed [some of the other 239] members of the branch to make them aware of his submission during the nominations voting period”.
Broughton was previously nominated for best original score for Silverado.
“I’m devastated” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I indulged in the simplest grassroots campaign and it went against me when the song started getting attention. I got taken down by competition that had months of promotion and advertising behind them. I simply asked people to find the song and consider it.”
The Academy are not expected to announce replacement nominee.
“No matter how well-intentioned the communication, using one’s position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one’s own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage,” said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who is the Academy president.
According to the Academy statement; “The board determined that Broughton’s actions were inconsistent with the Academy’s promotional regulations, which provide, among other terms, that ‘it is the Academy’s goal to ensure that the awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner.
“If any campaign activity is determined by the board of governors to work in opposition to that goal, whether or not anticipated by these regulations, the board of governors may take any corrective actions or assess any penalties that in its discretion it deems necessary to protect the reputation and integrity of the awards process.'”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n0TORpISk8
The remaining nominees in the best song category are:
- “Happy” from Despicable Me 2 – Music and lyrics by Pharrell Williams
- “Let It Go” from Frozen – Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
- “The Moon Song” from Her– Music by Karen O; Lyrics by Karen O and Spike Jonze
- “Ordinary Love” from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – Music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; Lyrics by Paul Hewson
The Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 2nd.
