Gary Dretzka
Leonard Klady
David Poland
Ray Pride

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 28, 2005

Writers Guild
Documentary Screenplay Award Nominees Announced

LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK -- The Writers Guild of America, west and East have announced nominations for the first-ever WGA Documentary Screenplay Award for outstanding achievement in documentary writing for the screen during the 2004 season:

BRIGHT LEAVES, Narration Written by Ross McElwee, First Run Features

CONTROL ROOM, Written by Julia Bacha and Jehane Noujaim, Magnolia Pictures

HOME OF THE BRAVE, Written by Paola di Florio, Emerging Pictures

THE HUNTING OF THE PRESIDENT, Written by Harry Thomason and Nickolas Perry, Regent Releasing

IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL, Written by Jessica Yu, Wellspring Media

SUPER SIZE ME, Written by Morgan Spurlock, Roadside Attractions, Samuel Goldwyn Films, and Showtime Independent Films

"With the rising popularity of documentary features, we're so excited that the Writers Guild is publicly recognizing the writer's primary role in nonfiction filmmaking. As storytellers, each one of the nominated filmmakers is writing with words, images, interviews, and cinema verite — shaping a documentary into a dramatic, engaging, and powerful film," said Joan Meyerson, co-chair of the WGAw Nonfiction Writers Caucus.

"The writers of fiction films create a narrative using images and words culled from their imagination. The writers of nonfiction films collect words and images from reality to record, to reveal, to provoke, or to analyze the human condition. At a time of extraordinary complexity, nonfiction filmmakers have become increasingly ambitious and skillful. The Writers Guild is honored to consider six outstanding feature-length nonfiction films," said Judy Crichton, WGAE council member.

Qualifications to be eligible for the WGA Documentary Screenplay Award include:

Documentaries submitted for entry must contain an onscreen writing credit and have been exhibited theatrically in either New York or Los Angeles in 2004. The credited writers of these documentaries are required to join the WGAw's Nonfiction Writers Caucus or WGAE Nonfiction Writers Caucus in order to be considered. Writers (or their representatives) must submit a copy of the final script, as well as a viewing copy of the documentary. The script must be feature length (over 45 minutes). The newly created WGA Documentary Screenplay Award will be presented at a gala reception for documentary filmmakers on February 15, 2005 in Los Angeles at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

For further information about the Documentary Screenplay Award or the Documentary Filmmakers Reception, please call John Koch at (323) 782-4511.

The Writers Guild of America, west and East represent writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable, and new media industries in both entertainment and news. The union conducts numerous programs, seminars, and events throughout the world on issues of interest to, and on behalf of, writers.