Brokeback, Capote up for USC script prize

The writers of Brokeback Mountain, Capote, The Constant Gardener, A History of Violence, and Syriana have been nominated for the University of Southern California's Scripter Award. The honor, now in its 18th year, goes to the year's best film adaptation of a book, novella, or short story, and the award goes to both the author and screenwriter.

Those nominated are author Annie Proulx and screenwriters Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana for Brokeback Mountain; author Gerald Clarke and screenwriter Dan Futterman for Capote; author John le Carre and scribe Jeffrey Caine for Gardener; authors John Wagner and Vince Locke and screenwriter Josh Olson for Violence; and author Robert Baer and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan for Syriana.

The list mirrors the nominees in the Writers Guild of America's recently announced adapted screenplay category. But since 1996, there have been only four years in which the winners matched the WGA winners and only three that have gone on to win at the Oscars. This year, all the writers are first-time nominees except for Proulx, who was nominated in 2002 for her novel The Shipping News. This year also is the first time a graphic novel, Violence, is a finalist.

The selection committee comprises WGA members, Academy Award-winning and nominated screenwriters, authors, film industry executives, faculty, and selected members of the Friends of the USC Libraries. This year there were 47 eligible films. The winners will be announced next Friday, while the annual black-tie gala honoring their work will be held February 11. (Borys Kit, Reuters)