BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay

History and development

Until 1984 BAFTA presented a single screenplay prize. In 1984 the academy divided that category into two distinct awards to acknowledge the differing creative challenges of writing original material and adapting existing works: the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay (this category) and the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (Best Screenplay split, see also Best Adapted Screenplay). Since the split the Original Screenplay award has been given annually as part of BAFTA’s main film awards.

Eligibility and rules

To qualify for Best Original Screenplay a script must be original to the film and not based on previously published books, plays, articles or other source material. BAFTA publishes guidance on what constitutes original material and on crediting writers; industry standards on writing credits and registration typically inform eligibility (screenplay criteria). Collaborative writing teams may share a nomination when their names appear as the principal writers.

Selection process

Nominees and winners are determined through BAFTA’s internal procedures. Submissions are reviewed by specialist voting chapters or juries that focus on writing and craft, which produce a shortlist of nominees. The broader BAFTA membership then votes to select the winner. The process is intended to balance peer assessment with wider membership participation.

Significance and impact

Recognition in this category raises the profile of screenwriters, can assist a film’s visibility during awards season, and often influences professional opportunities for the writers involved. The prize emphasizes originality in cinematic storytelling and draws attention to films that innovate in narrative voice, structure or subject matter.

Typical characteristics and distinctions

• Original vs adapted: Reserved for works not derived from previously published sources.
• Credit and collaboration: Writing teams are eligible when properly credited.
• Artistic range: Winners and nominees have included both independent and major-studio films.

Comparison with other awards

The BAFTA Original Screenplay award is often compared with national and international prizes for writing. While there is frequently overlap in the critical recognition given by different institutions, timing, membership and eligibility rules mean outcomes can differ from other ceremonies.

Further reading and resources

For official rules, current eligibility guidance and historical lists of nominees and winners consult BAFTA’s resources (BAFTA) and published category overviews that discuss both original and adapted screenplay contexts (adapted/screenplay context, screenplay history).