BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay facts for kids

The BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay was a special prize given out by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). This award celebrated the best script written for a movie. A screenplay is the story, dialogue, and instructions for a film. Think of it as the blueprint for a movie!

This award was given every year from 1968 until 1982. After 1982, BAFTA decided to make two separate awards. These new awards were for BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay (for completely new stories) and BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (for stories based on books or other works).

What is a Screenplay?

A screenplay is the written plan for a movie. It includes everything the actors say (dialogue) and all the actions they do. It also describes the scenes, sounds, and camera movements. Screenwriters are the talented people who write these scripts. They create the characters and the story that you see on screen.

How the Award Worked

The BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay honored the writers who created amazing movie scripts. Each year, several films were nominated. From these nominees, one film's screenplay was chosen as the winner. The year mentioned for each award is when the movie was released. The actual award ceremony happened the next year.

Notable Winners of the BAFTA Best Screenplay Award

Many famous films and screenwriters won this award during its time. Here are some of the movies that were recognized for their excellent scripts:

Winners from the 1960s

• 1968: The Graduate by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry. This film is known for its unique story about a young man after college.
• 1969: Midnight Cowboy by Waldo Salt. This powerful drama won for its strong storytelling.

Winners from the 1970s

• 1970: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid by William Goldman. A classic Western film with memorable characters.
• 1971: The Go-Between by Harold Pinter. This film was praised for its detailed and moving story.
• 1972: The Hospital by Paddy Chayefsky and The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry and Peter Bogdanovich. These two films shared the award, showing how strong their scripts were.
• 1973: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie by Luis Buñuel and Jean-Claude Carrière. A unique and thought-provoking film from France.
• 1974: Chinatown and The Last Detail by Robert Towne. Both of these films, written by the same person, won for their amazing scripts.
• 1975: Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore by Robert Getchell. A story about a woman starting a new life.
• 1976: Bugsy Malone by Alan Parker. This musical film is famous for its cast of child actors.
• 1977: Annie Hall by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman. A very popular romantic comedy.
• 1978: Julia by Alvin Sargent. A historical drama with a compelling story.
• 1979: Manhattan by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman. Another successful collaboration from these writers.

Winners from the 1980s

• 1980: Being There by Jerzy Kosiński. A film with a very unusual and interesting main character.
• 1981: Gregory's Girl by Bill Forsyth. A charming Scottish comedy about growing up.
• 1982: Missing by Costa-Gavras and Donald E. Stewart. This intense drama was the last film to win this combined award.

After 1982, screenplays were judged in two separate categories: original and adapted. This allowed for more specific recognition of different types of writing.

Images for kids

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  A robot thinking about movies.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:BAFTA al mejor guion para niños