Director Robert Altman's company, which made Gosford Park, is involved

The 14 producers object to the Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) ban on sending preview videos of their films to movie award judges.

The producers want $25m (�15m) damages, saying they will win fewer awards and so the financing they get will suffer.

Director Robert Altman's Sandcastle 5 Productions is among the plaintiffs.

Sandcastle 5 made Gosford Park, which went on to pick up a string of awards including one Oscar.

Piracy

The other companies behind the lawsuit include Salty Features, run by Eva Kolodner, who produced the highly acclaimed drama Boys Don't Cry.

The MPAA said it introduced the ban on sending out preview "screener" videos and DVDs because they were often pirated.

The ban applies to all awards except the Oscars, whose voters are exempt on the condition that they agree not to let their copies fall into the hands of pirates.

But the producers, who filed the lawsuit in US District Court in Manhattan on Monday, said the ban would "chill the financing of independent films".

'Misguided'

"Awards and accolades beget more awards and accolades, which culminate for the awards season with the Academy Awards," the lawsuit said.

MPAA spokesman Rich Taylor said the legal action was misguided because the ban would "reduce piracy and... preserve the motion picture industry for filmmakers, both large and small".

It was not intended to disadvantage independent films, he said.

Voters of award ceremonies such as the Golden Globes and the Baftas will have to watch the possible contenders at special cinema screenings.