Normally Academy Award voters see the latest Hollywood films early or at the same time as theater goers. But in New York and Los Angeles, Lionsgate has held off screening The Hunger Games – which is very abnormal.

Deadline reports in a new column:

My phone was ringing over the weekend with inquiries from more than one member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences asking if I knew why The Hunger Games was nowhere to be found on the Acad’s official Samuel Goldwyn Theatre screening members schedule for March or even, all of April (“I told my husband I guess we’ll have to go to an 11AM showing and get the senior discount”, one disappointed member told me). Normally the Academy is given top priority by studios and distributors – whether it’s awards season or not – and it would seem to be a given (even if it’s not obvious Oscar material) to screen such an anticipated film, particularly one directed by a previous Oscar nominee (Gary Ross) and with a cast and crew full of past nominees and winners. But my sources tell me the Academy’s committee in charge of booking their weekend screening series did indeed approach Lionsgate distribution contacts twice in order to secure a March screening of the film for their NY and LA membership and were turned down. They also asked the distrib again before the March 15th cutoff for April screenings and were again turned down.

A source at Lionsgate told Deadline that they do plan on hosting screenings, and the reason for the hold up was due to conflicting schedules.

We hope this doesn’t hurt its chances being nominated at next year’s Oscars!