The Big Short and Spotlight Win At Writers Guild Awards

Another of the key pre-Oscars awards ceremonies has taken place, bestowing honours upon two films hotly tipped for the upcoming Academy Awards.

The Writers Guild of America presented awards to two acclaimed dramas based on real events, awarding Best Original Screenplay to ‘Spotlight,’ and Best Adapted Screenplay to ‘The Big Short.’

Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy’s ‘Spotlight’ was based around The Boston Globe’s real-life investigation into child abuse within the Catholic Church.

Adam McKay and Charles Randolph’s ‘The Big Short,’ meanwhile, is based on Michael Lewis’ non-fiction book on the events on Wall Street which led to the 2007-2008 financial crisis.

Historically the WGA awards are a good precursor to the Oscars: of the last 20 films to win at the WGAs, 15 went on to get the equivalent Academy Award.

The only other film category in the otherwise TV-dominated awards is Best Documentary Screenplay, which went to Alex Gibley for ‘Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief.’

On small screen, winners included ‘Mad Men’ (Drama Series), ‘Veep’ (Comedy Series), ‘Mr Robot’ (New Series), ‘Saints and Strangers’ (Longform Original), and ‘Fargo’ (Longform Adapted).

In light of the Oscars diversity scandal, the WGA also gamely admitted their own failings by presenting a short video celebrating their past African-American winners - which showed literally no one but Richard Pryor, who won for 1974′s ‘Blazing Saddles.’

The Academy Awards will take place on 28 February.

Picture Credit: Paramount, Entertainment One

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