BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Art of Storytelling

Celebrating the Writers Who Create Worlds From Imagination

Best Original Screenplay

Honoring Excellence in Original Screenwriting

About This Category

The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay honors screenplays not based upon previously published material. This category celebrates the art of creating compelling narratives, memorable dialogue, and unique worlds entirely from the writer's imagination. It recognizes the foundation upon which every great film is built.

Originality

Unique concepts and fresh perspectives

Dialogue

Authentic, compelling character voices

Structure

Cohesive narrative and pacing

Character

Depth, development, and authenticity

Featured Nominees

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY NOMINEE
Blue Moon Movie Poster

Blue Moon

2025 • Written by John Logan • Directed by Mike Nichols

Set on the opening night of Oklahoma! in 1943, Blue Moon delves into the soul of lyricist Lorenz "Larry" Hart as he confronts the twilight of his career. The film masterfully weaves together themes of artistic legacy, creative frustration, and personal redemption. Through intimate dialogue and emotional depth, it explores what it means to create while watching the world move on without you. The screenplay balances historical accuracy with poetic license, creating a poignant portrait of an artist at his most vulnerable.

Screenplay Highlights

  • Intricate, dialogue-driven character study with minimal action sequences
  • Blends historical events with fictional introspection seamlessly
  • Explores the tension between commercial success and artistic integrity
  • Features a nonlinear narrative that mirrors Hart's scattered memories
  • Includes original song lyrics that advance character development
  • Balances witty Broadway banter with profound existential questions
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY NOMINEE
It Was Just an Accident Movie Poster

It Was Just an Accident

2025 • Written by Jafar Panahi • Directed by Jafar Panahi

In this Iranian-French-Luxembourgian thriller-drama, a group of former political prisoners believe they've captured their former torturer on a remote road. What begins as a mission for justice quickly devolves into a morally ambiguous journey as the characters debate revenge, trauma, and forgiveness. Panahi's screenplay masterfully balances tension with dark humor, creating a microcosm of society's struggle with historical trauma. The confined setting becomes a pressure cooker for philosophical debate and psychological unraveling.

Screenplay Highlights

  • Minimalist setting with maximum psychological tension
  • Blends thriller elements with philosophical and moral inquiry
  • Features morally complex characters with shifting allegiances
  • Uses dark comedy to explore traumatic subject matter
  • Creates suspense through dialogue rather than action
  • Explores collective memory and historical responsibility
  • Includes meta-commentary on justice systems and revenge

Also Nominated

Marty Supreme Movie Poster

Marty Supreme

Written by Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein

Also Nominated for Best Picture
Sentimental Value Movie Poster

Sentimental Value

Written by Joachim Trier & Eskil Vogt

Also Nominated for Best Picture
Sinners Movie Poster

Sinners

Written by Ryan Coogler

Also Nominated for Best Picture
"Remember we have all of these available to watch here, just for you, from me, with love always."

The Art of Original Screenwriting

This year's nominees represent a remarkable diversity in storytelling. From intimate character studies to tense moral thrillers, each screenplay demonstrates unique mastery of the written word. What unites them is their ability to create complete worlds through dialogue, character, and structure alone—proving that the most powerful special effects begin on the page.

Great screenwriting is architecture for emotion—each word a brick, each scene a room, until the entire structure breathes with life.