‘Palm Springs’ and ‘Borat 2’ Earn Writers Guild Awards Nominations

BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN

The nominations for the 73rd Writers Guild of America Awards have been announced. Honoring the best writing in film, television, and radio of 2020, the WGA Awards are the top indicator of which screenplays could end up with Oscar nominations.

Notably, each year’s WGA nominees are lacking in a few frontrunners due to WGA rules. The WGA is the only guild that requires a film to have been produced under its Minimum Basic Agreement in order to be eligible. This year, films like “Nomadland”, “The Father”, “Minari”, “Mank”, and “Soul”, were ineligible for WGA consideration.

Of the films that were eligible but failed to earn a nomination are “First Cow”, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”, and “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”. All three are considered top Oscar contenders.

Winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony on March 21, 2021.

(For a list of television and radio nominees, click here.)

FULL LIST OF NOMINEES:

Best Original Screenplay

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Will Berson & Shaka King
Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny and Keith Lucas

PALM SPRINGS
(Hulu)
Andy Siara
Story by Andy Siara & Max Barbakow

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
(Focus Features)
Emerald Fennell

SOUND OF METAL
(Amazon Studios)
Darius Marder & Abraham Marder
Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
(Netflix)
Aaron Sorkin

Best Adapted Screenplay

BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
(Amazon Studios)
Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern
Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
Based on characters created by Sacha Baron Cohen

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
(Netflix)
Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Based on the play by August Wilson

NEWS OF THE WORLD
(Universal Pictures)
Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies
Based upon the novel by Paulette Jiles

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
(Amazon Studios)
Kemp Powers
Based on the stage play by Kemp Powers

THE WHITE TIGER
(Netflix)
Ramin Bahrani
Based on the book by Aravind Adiga

Best Documentary Screenplay

ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY
(Amazon Studios)
Jack Youngelson

THE DISSIDENT
(Briarcliff Entertainment)
Mark Monroe and Bryan Fogel

HERB ALPERT IS…
(Abramorama)
John Scheinfeld

RED PENGUINS
(Universal Pictures)
Gabe Polsky

TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL
(Neon)
Alex Gibney