Cannes winner "Blue Is the Warmest Colour" declared ineligible for Oscars

PanARMENIAN.Net - Blue Is the Warmest Colour has been declared ineligible for the 2014 Oscars.

The Cannes Film Festival's controversial Palme d'Or winner will be released in France too late to qualify for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category, Digital Spy reported citing Deadline.

An Academy rule states that films must be released in their country of origin by the end of September. The adaptation of Julie Maroh's graphic novel Le Bleu est Une Couleur Chaude will open in France on October 9.

Sundance Selects president Jonathan Sehring said that the decision appears to be irreversible.

"I talked to them about it and said it was a missed opportunity if you don't qualify it," he said. "So they actually were going to do a qualification run in the town where it was shot in Northern France.

"But ultimately the French governing body said no. It had to be a wide release in order for it to qualify and so [Wild Bunch] called and said 'We don't want to move off our date. We have a great date'. It's unfortunate."

Director Abdellatif Kechiche's film was described as "show-stopping" for its graphic depiction of lesbian sex. It was expected to be a strong contender at the Oscars.

Blue Is the Warmest Colour will arrive in the UK on November 15. A US date has not been set.