Oscars nix faith-based film’s Best Original Song nomination Print
Written by Jeremy Burns   
Thursday, 30 January 2014 12:42 PM America/New_York

AloneYetNotAlone-webIn a rare move, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences rescinded its Oscar nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone,” the title song from Enthuse Entertainment’s Alone Yet Not Alone. Sung by Joni Eareckson Tada, the song had its nomination pulled when the Academy discovered that the song’s composer, Bruce Broughton, had sent a short email bringing the song to the attention of Oscar voters.

While other nominees’ representatives had done similar marketing efforts to draw attention to their songs, the Academy’s Board of Governors felt Broughton’s actions were inappropriate due to his position on the Academy’s executive committee and constituted an ethical breach.

“No matter how well-intentioned the communication, using one’s position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one’s own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage,” said Academy President Cheryl Boon Isaacs.

“I’m devastated,” Broughton told Entertainment Weekly. “I indulged in the simplest grass-roots campaign and it went against me when the song started getting attention. I got taken down by competition that has months of promotion and advertising behind them. I simply asked people to find the song and consider it.”

It’s not all grim for the song's future, though, as Movieguide will now feature Tada performing “Alone Yet Not Alone” at its Feb. 7 awards gala in Los Angeles.