‘9/11’ is pirated to Cuban TV
Unauthorized Cuban showings of Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” will not disqualify the divisive film from Oscar eligibility for best documentary, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Lions Gate Releasing said Tuesday.
Under Oscar rules, documentaries can be disqualified if they are shown on television or the Internet within nine months of their theatrical release. Moore’s movie, which debuted in June, has been shown on Cuba’s state-run television network and in the country’s movie theaters, according to CNN and Reuters.
Lions Gate, which is releasing “Fahrenheit 9/11” in the United States, said that the showings in the communist country were not sanctioned and that they originated from a pirated copy.
“We’re absolutely not going to punish someone for having their film pirated or stolen,” academy spokesman John Pavlik said Tuesday.
Moore’s film also remains eligible for consideration in other Oscar categories.
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
