Ang Lee movie banned from Oscars

Director Ang Lee's new movie 'Lust, Caution' has been barred from running for an Academy Award in 2008 - after breaking Foreign Language film rules.

The Taiwanese filmmaker was the toast of Tinseltown in 2006 after picking up the Best Director Oscar for Brokeback Mountain.

War drama 'Lust, Caution' was expected to compete for a prize at next year's star studded bash, but Academy bosses have ruled Lee's effort ineligible because some of the crew members were not from Taiwan.

Chen Chun-Jer, acting director of the Taiwanese government's film department, says: "We and Ang Lee are disappointed... this movie was also popular in Taiwan."

Taiwan's Motion Picture and Drama Association has appealed the decision and is awaiting a response.