Whatever your opinions about the Academy Awards, it's a powerful marketing tool for filmmakers, as it guarantees buzz and ticket sales. Today, the shortlist for outstanding Documentary Feature had a very big oversight on it: Dear Zachary was not on the list.

The film blogosphere is buzzing about this oversight, with speculation on it being disqualified.  According the rules, it qualifies, even with the television premiere on MSNBC in December. Not that you can tell, there's nothing on their site about it yet, despite being less than a month before airing.

So why isn't the most talked about documentary feature of the year on that shortlist?  Is the fact it's so personal and breaks the 'objectivity' rule alienating?  They've nominated Michael Moore's work, and that isn't objective, it's not even documentary, it's proselytizing. 

Is it the fact it's no-budget? Even though that actually makes the film work more than one with high production values, or it was edited in an apartment?  Is the fact it includes a call to action an unwritten no-no?  Or maybe the Canadian angle?

Or is the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences protecting our delicate sensibilities?  Is it too controversial? Or is the fact that it might set a precedent for unconventional filmmaking too intimidating?

I certainly don't know.  Will Goss of Cinematical also speculates on reasons why.  Ultimately, I suspect that as usual, AMPAS is playing it safe.  Because those films on the list cover 'safe' subjects, and known filmmakers.

I'll remain relatively coy about the controversy, as it would spill it for those of you unfortunate enough not to have had an opportunity to see Dear Zachary. It works best without knowing too much about the story. I have to wonder about those on the AMPAS doc committee knowing too much, and steering away from it in fear.  Perhaps it seemed unfair to give a film that everyone loves so much a chance. Maybe that's it.  It makes no sense to me.

I just heard back from Kurt Kuenne, the director, who admits to being a little disappointed, but reminded me of the fact it's not the ultimate goal (although it would have helped).  Not that I have any clout with AMPAS, but if I was in LA, I'd be sorely tempted to find a way to give them a piece of my mind more directly than this blog.

The good news it, it's not the only awards options out there. Dear Zachary has been submitted to the Spirit Awards, the National Board of Review, the DGA, WGA, Ace Eddie awards, so hopefully at least ONE of those organizations will have enough vision to appreciate the film.

Barring any unforeseen obstacles, it will be playing in Austin again.  In the meantime, it'll be on MSNBC in December, and hopefully it'll be among the films selected for Spirit Awards.  As a member of Film Independent, I get to vote in the Spirit Awards.  I'm thinking the other films will have tough competition. 

Still, it's a shame it won't reach a wider audience that the Oscars would have given it.