'Crash's' Oscar dispute decided

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected today an appeal by Bob Yari, the financier of best picture nominee "Crash," ruling that the film's Oscar night producer credits will exclude Yari's name in favor of director Paul Haggis and Yari's estranged producing partner, Cathy Schulman.

In turning down Yari's appeal, the academy accepted the "Crash" credits as determined in December by the Producers Guild of America, which had named Haggis and Schulman as "Crash's" only two producers. The PGA ruled that four other people who were listed on the film's credits as producers did not fulfill enough job duties to qualify for the title: Yari, Mark Harris, actor Don Cheadle and co-writer Bobby Moresco.

Yari had been so unhappy with the PGA's ruling he had contemplated legal action against the trade organization and sued Schulman for breach of contract and fraud. Rather than bring legal action against the PGA, Yari appealed to the academy, which has the ability to overturn the PGA's credits decision.

The academy, after reviewing written submissions from Yari and the PGA but not taking any live testimony, agreed that the PGA's ruling was proper, according to two people familiar with the case.

The academy declined to comment on either the decision or its process in reaching it. The PGA also declined comment. A spokeswoman for Yari said he had not yet been notified of the academy's decision and therefore declined to comment.

The "Crash" dispute comes in the first year that the academy is formally following the PGA's determination for who is eligible for the top Oscar. The pact with the PGA is part of a six-year academy effort to reign in the frequently abused credit.

In 1999's ceremony, five producers of "Shakespeare in Love," including Miramax Films co-chairman Harvey Weinstein, rushed the stage to accept that film's best picture trophy. The academy now limits to three the number of people who can be nominated for producing a best picture contender.

"Crash" is not the only film among this year's best picture nominees to have a disputed producer credit. Four names were submitted to the PGA as having produced "Munich," but the PGA culled the list to three, cutting a producer credit for Colin Wilson.