April 23, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tarrah Curtis – (310) 247-3090
tcurtis@oscars.org


Deadline Approaching for Academy’s Nicholl Screenwriting Competition

Beverly Hills, CA – The deadline to submit entries for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 24th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition is May 1, 2009. Entries must be postmarked by May 1 or submitted online by 11:59 p.m. PT on May 1.

The program is open to screenwriters who have not earned more than $5,000 writing fictional work for film or television. Entry scripts must be feature length and the original work of a sole author or of exactly two collaborative authors. The scripts must have been written originally in English. Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible. Up to five $30,000 fellowships are awarded each year.

“The Nicholl competition is one of the most respected screenwriting contests around,” said Academy President Sid Ganis. “The Academy is extremely proud of its success, and this year’s recipients will no doubt exhibit the same great talent as so many past winners have.”

Several past Nicholl fellows have gone on to successful screenwriting careers, including Doug Atchison (“Akeelah and the Bee”), Mike Rich ("Radio," "The Rookie," "Finding Forrester", Ehren Kruger ("Arlington Road," "The Ring,” “Reindeer Games,” “Scream 3" and Andrew Marlowe ("Air Force One," writer-producer on CBS's "Castle".

Returning as Nicholl Committee Chair is 1992 Nicholl fellow Susannah Grant, who wrote the "The Soloist," opening nationwide on Friday. She wrote and directed 2007’s “Catch and Release,” shared writing credit on “Charlotte’s Web” (2006), adapted “In Her Shoes” (2005), and in 2000 received an Academy Award® nomination for her “Erin Brockovich” screenplay. Grant’s writing credits also include “28 Days,” “Ever After” and “Pocahontas.”

Last year’s competition drew more than 5,000 entries. Since the program’s inception in 1985, 108 fellowships have been awarded.

Application information is available now on the Academy’s Web site at www.oscars.org/nicholl.