Barack Obama to host Selma screening at White House

U.S. President Barack Obama is hosting a screening of Selmaat the White House on Friday.

This comes one day after the Academy Awards snubbed the filmabout Martin Luther King Jr., and the Alabama civil rights march in 1965,in some key categories.

Selma gets special distinction

While the film is nominated for best picture and best song, it failed to secure nominations fordirector Ava DuVernay and lead actor David Oyelowo.

DuVernayand Owelowo are expected to attend the screening along with producerOprah Winfreyand Common, who is nominated for an Oscar for the film's theme song Glory.

The film's omission from the Oscar nominationssparked a series of complaintsover the lack of diversity among the nominees.

All 20nominations for acting in lead and supporting roles went to white actors.

Event kicks off Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend

The White House has been planning the Selma screening for a while, and the event is designed to kick off the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in the U.S.

The film has come under scrutiny for its portrayal of one of Obama's predecessors, President Lyndon B. Johnson.