For the third year running the British Screenwriters’ Awards took a stand this weekend to celebrate the screenwriting talent without which our beloved film and TV would not thrive. The awards are a great opportunity not just to honour those exceptional writers among us, but also to celebrate our industry as a whole. Outstanding achievement makes us all strive to be better crafters of story. The writers we honour show us, through their work, the privilege of connecting our thoughts to an audience in a meaningful way. Screenwriting matters and though we gather to celebrate a few, by edifying our craft we empower the many.
Rhona Cameron was very excited to once again introduce the festivities, turning chaos into comedy and claps into cheers, delivering well placed words with an unrehearsed ease. Joined on stage by some of the great veterans of our craft, as well as fresher talent, there was wit, laughter, great entertainment and some very inspiring moments before we all went to party in the Final Draft tent.
As the awards find their feet they become more unique so for this and future years, the generic Lifetime Achievement Award, is being replaced by a new trophy to celebrate not just longevity of career but to laud exceptional writers at all stages of a career.
This year the new ‘Fucking Awesome Screenwriter Award’ comes into being.
This year’s award recipient is writer/director Simon Fitzmaurice. Paralysed with Motor Neuron Disease (ALS) Simon refused to allow his fledgling writer/director career to be cut short by his condition. He wrote and directed his first feature film using only his eyes to craft and communicate his vision. Simon is a published author of both fiction and non-fiction, news journals and inspires other writers not just for the obstacles he has overcome to achieve his aims, but for the great love of his craft and his unique voice that is resonant and true. Thank you Simon for being determined enough to share your work with the world.
Outstanding Newcomer for British Television Writing
- WINNER: Doctor Foster by Mike Bartlett
- Black Work by Matt Charman
- The Night Manager by David Farr
- Partners in Crime by Zinnie Harris / Claire Wilson
Best British TV Drama Writing
- Jericho by David Ramage / Steve Thompson / Chris Dunlop / Caroline Henry
- This is England 90 by Shane Meadows / Jack Thorne
- WINNER: Peaky Blinders by Steven Knight
- Penny Dreadful by John Logan / Andrew Hinderaker
- Murdered By My Father by Vinay Patel
Outstanding Newcomer for British Feature Film Writing
- Kill Your Friends by John Niven
- WINNER: Carol by Phyllis Nagy
- The Danish Girl by Lucina Coxon
- My Name is Emily by Simon Fitzmaurice
- Macbeth by Jacob Koskoff / Michael Lesslie / Todd Louiso
Best Crime Writing on Television (Series/Single Drama)
- Lucky Man by James Allen / Rachel Anthony / Neil Biswas / Stephen Gallagher / Ben Schiffer / Alan Westaway
- No Offence by Paul Abbott / Paul Tomalin / Jimmy Dowdall / Mark Greig / Jack Lothian
- Luther by Neil Cross
- WINNER: The Night Manager by David Farr
- Marcella by Marston Bloom / Mark Greig / Ben Harris / Hans Rosenfeldt
Best Comedy Writing on Television
- Chewing Gum by Michaela Coel
- Stag by Jim Field Smith / George Kay
- Siblings by Keith Akushie / Daran Johnson / Joe Parham / Lucien Young
- WINNER: Car Share by Peter Kay / Paul Coleman / Sian Gibson / Tim Reid
- Catastrophe by Rob Delaney / Sharon Horgan
Best British Children’s Television
- Hetty Feather by the Writing Team
- Thunderbirds are Go by the Writing Team
- WINNER: The Dumping Ground by the Writing Team
- Dangermouse by the Writing Team
- Sarah and Duck by Benjamin Thomas Cook / Sarah Gomes Harris
Best British Feature Film Writing
- WINNER: Brooklyn by Nick Hornby
- Legend by Brian Helgeland
- The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett
- Suffragette by Abi Morgan
- 45 Years by Andrew Haigh
Create50 Awards
The Impact 50 Best Screenplay
- WINNER: More by Phil Charles
- Sing Mummy by Tracey Parsons
- Silent Ruin by Chris Vanderhorst
- Without Sin by Kerry Dye
- Meet Anne by Tyler Pierreson
Twisted 50 Best Story
- Five Days by Susan Bodnar
- WINNER: Shenanigans by Chris Jeal
- The Sugar Loaf and The Red Shoes by Marie Gethins
- The Beholder by Stephanie Wessell
- The Audition Altar by Leo Robertson
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. We look forward to seeing more of you on our screens and again at the British Screenwriters’ Awards!
Leilani is an actor, screenwriter and filmmaker and has been blogging for the London Screenwriters’ Festival since it’s inception in 2010.
