'BURIED' SCREENWRITER DIGS HOLE WITH LETTER TO ACADEMY MEMBERS (EW, THR, TW, DH)

By Nancy Tartaglione

On Thursday, EW reported that "Buried" screenwriter Chris Sparling sent a letter to members of the Academy's writers branch to extol the virtues of his screenplay -- and in so doing looks to have broken Academy campaigning rules.

According to AMPAS regulations, "Brief cover letters may accompany screeners and scripts." But, "Mailings that extol the merits of a film, an achievement or an individual are not permitted. Mailings containing quotes from reviews about a film or achievement are not permitted, nor should they refer to other honors or awards, past or present, that have been received by either the film or those involved in the production or distribution of the film."

EW reported that the letter, with a return address for PR firm mPRm, asked Acad members to vote for "Buried" for Best Original Screenplay.

(Click here for the letter.)

According to The Hollywood Reporter, mPRm co-president Mark Pogachefsky responded to the issue saying, "In the pre-holiday rush, a letter went out that wasn't properly vetted, and we sincerely apologize for the error. Chris didn't know the rules, and we didn't catch it -- it just went through the email system."

Last year, "The Hurt Locker" producer Nicolas Chartier sent a similar letter to Academy voters. In return for his sins, his Oscar tickets were taken away.

The Wrap notes:

But Chartier's letter came in the thick of a heated Best Picture race between the two frontrunners; Sparling's was written on behalf of a film that has little chance of being nominated for anything. It's certainly conceivable that the Academy, when its offices reopen after the New Years holiday, could issue some sort of reprimand – though taking away the writer's Oscar tickets is not likely to be necessary, or even possible.