A producer of critically-acclaimed war movie The Hurt Locker has been banned from attending the Oscars, after he sent emails urging academy members to vote for the film.
Nicolas Chartier violated Academy Award rules that prohibit filmmakers from promoting one film by disparaging another.
He sent e-mails seeking support for The Hurt Locker, "not a "$500 million film" - an obvious reference to fellow best-picture contender Avatar.
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Chartier will not be allowed to attend the ceremony - which is due to take place in Hollywood on Sunday.
But he will still receive his Oscar later, if The Hurt Locker wins an award.
"Nicolas Chartier has been denied attendance at the 82nd Academy Awards as a penalty for violating Academy campaigning standards," the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement.
Embarrassed apology from filmmaker
Chartier was forced to make an embarrassed apology for his email, which he said had been "inappropriate and stupid".
"My email to you was out of line and not in the spirit of the celebration of cinema that this acknowledgement is," Chartier wrote.
"I was even more wrong, both personally and professionally, to ask for your help in encouraging others to vote for the film and to comment on another movie.
"As passionate as I am about the film we made, this was an extremely inappropriate email to send, and something that the Academy strongly disapproves of in the rules.
"My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first time nominee is not an excuse for this behaviour and I strongly regret it."
The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, is one of the favourites to take the Best Picture prize, alongside Avatar, directed by Bigelow's ex-husband, James Cameron.
Avatar won the Golden Globe award, while The Hurt Locker took out the Bafta prize.
