With Ezra Edelman‘s ESPN-produced, five-part O.J.: Made in America having recently won the 2016 Best Feature-Length Documentary Oscar, I’ve been thinking that Laurent Bouzereau and Mark Harris‘ Five Came Back, a three-part Netflix doc that has qualified itself with recent theatrical bookings, might become a major contender for the same prize next fall.

Then I read the following today (.4.7) on Movie City News, as reported by Ray Pride:

“The Academy’s Board of Governors approved Oscars® rules and campaign regulations for the 90th Academy Awards® at their most recent Board meeting on Tuesday, 3.28” — 10 days ago. The story continues: “In the Documentary categories, multi-part or limited series are not eligible for awards consideration. The Documentary Branch Executive Committee will resolve all questions of eligibility and rules.”

So unless I’m missing something that’s an over-and-out and “adios muchachos” for Five Came Back. Doesn’t seem fair or just, but that’s the Academy for you.