A top movie website has rejected a thriller about a TV crew being hunted in tunnels - and the producers, including Andrew Denton, believe it's because they want to give it away free.

Sydney independent film producer Enzo Tedeschi said he tried five times since June to get the film, The Tunnel listed on the Internet Movie Database, IMDb.com.

But each time it has been rejected and Mr Tedeschi - who has had other films accepted - believes it is because he wants to distribute it through BitTorrent - which is best known for the illegal sharing of movies and music.

Getting listed on IMDb is important to a producer, as the site is considered the premier database used by industry professionals, including those in Hollywood.