No passion for advertising

MEL Gibson has vowed not to use paid advertisements to try to win an Oscar for his controversial blockbuster, The Passion of the Christ.

Instead, Gibson and his Icon Productions partner Bruce Davey hope the film will speak for itself.

However, Icon is still presenting promotional screenings of The Passion and plans to send thousands of DVD copies to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and other industry groups.

The move against paid-for advertising bucks a trend in Hollywood where massive marketing campaigns are launched in a bid to secure award ceremony success.

Gibson, who wrote, directed and produced the film about the last hours in the life of Jesus, was praised by academy president Frank Pierson for resisting the "crass commercialism that was threatening the integrity of the award".