Executives to testify in screener lawsuit

NEW YORK, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Film executives including Harvey Weinstein, Michael Barker, Tom Bernard and David Linde are to appear in New York federal court over Oscar screeners.

Subpoenas were served to the heads of the Walt Disney's Miramax Films, Sony's Sony Pictures Classics, Universal's Focus Features and MGM's United Artists divisions, according to Gregory Curtner, the attorney representing a coalition of independent producers and the New York and Los Angeles chapters of the Independent Feature Project.

None of the speciality studios would comment on whether their executives would appear in court, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The lawsuit alleges violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act and seeks damages of at least $25 million as a result of the Motion Picture Association of America ban on the use of screeners in the Oscar judging.

Production entities including Robert Altman's Sandcastle 5 Productions, Antidote International Films, Killer Films, InDigEnt and This Is That are also plaintiffs in the lawsuit.