'Veil' center of year-end studio tiff

HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- In a familiar Hollywood story, the producer of Oscar contender "The Painted Veil" is ticked off over the film's final cut.

The Hollywood Reporter Monday said Bob Yari, one of the producers of last year's Oscar-winner, "Crash," is battling with Warner Bros. over a couple of issues -- the final cut of the film where Chinese government censors had the final say, and the studio's supposed support, or lack of support, for the film to date.

While other Oscar contenders have been shown at fall film festivals, "Veil" languished in the can while final-cut debates raged. The film was not delivered until well into November.

Warner Independent Pictures will preview "Veil" in Los Angeles and New York on Dec. 20.

The Los Angeles Times called the movie "an undiscovered gem," which is precisely Yari's problem.

"Someone up there wants the film buried," he said.

Warner Bros. president Alan Horn told the Reporter that the studio has faith in the movie, but the studio is busy with other Oscar potentials, including "The Departed," "Letters from Iwo Jima," and "Happy Feet."