LOS ANGELES, Sept 7 (AFP) - Filmmaker Michael Moore has withdrawn "Fahrenheit 9/11" from the running for next year's best documentary Oscar, leaving the movie free to compete for the ultimate prize -- best picture.
If the explosive political documentary that bashes US President George W. Bush is nominated in the top Academy Awards category, it would be the first documentary in history to compete for best picture, Oscars officials said.
The polemical Moore said on his website Tuesday he had decided not to submit the film in the best documentary category, in which it was expected to be a favourite for the golden statuette, saying he wanted to instead focus his efforts on helping defeat Bush ahead of the November 2 election.
"I have decided not to submit 'Fahrenheit 9/11' for consideration for the Best Documentary Oscar," Moore said, adding that he was not submitting the film to allow it a chance of being aired on television a day before polling.
"If there is even the remotest of chances that I can get this film seen by a few million more Americans before election day, then that is more important to me than winning another documentary Oscar," he said.
Under Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules, a film that has been aired on television becomes ineligible for competition in the best documentary category, but remains viable for other major categories.
Moore won the best documentary Oscar in 2002 for his anti-gun film "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit" -- the most successful documentary in history -- had widely been tipped to dominate the best documentary category next year.
But Moore said it was more important for him to attempt to strike a deal with the film's distributors to allow it to be broadcast a day before the tightly-fought election in the hope of swaying voters than to win another best documentary statuette.
The motion picture Academy, the organisers of cinema's top awards confirmed that Moore had not entered "Fahrenheit" in the best documentary category ahead of the September 1 deadline.
They said the film could therefore compete for best picture and for other major awards, provided that Moore completes a special form ahead of the January 25 nominations announcement.
Next year's Oscars will be handed out in Hollywood on February 27.