7 months ago
Cannes Winners Ineligible for WGA Awards
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has strict rules for which screenplays can be nominated for their awards.
This year, many famous and award-winning films like 'Sentimental Value,' 'It Was Just An Accident,' and 'The Secret Agent' won't be on the ballot.
These films won big prizes at festivals like Cannes and have been nominated for other awards, but they don't meet the WGA's rules.
The WGA says scripts must be written under certain agreements and must be formally submitted.
Some films, like 'M3gan 2.0' and 'Black Phone 2,' are eligible.
The nominations will be announced in January 2026, and the awards will be given in March 2026.
Several award-winning films, including Cannes winners 'Sentimental Value,' 'It Was Just An Accident,' and 'The Secret Agent,' are ineligible for WGA Awards due to strict eligibility rules.
Eligibility requires screenplays to be written under specific collective bargaining agreements and formally submitted.
Notable ineligible films also include 'Father Mother Sister Brother,' 'Sorry, Baby,' and 'No Other Choice.'
Eligible screenplays include 'M3gan 2.0,' 'Black Phone 2,' and 'Spinal Tap 2.'
Nomination ballots are due January 20, 2026, with awards announced on March 8, 2026.
- Who
- Writers Guild of America (WGA)
- What
- Ineligibility of several award-winning screenplays for WGA Awards
- Where
- United States
- When
- Nomination ballots due January 20, 2026; Awards on March 8, 2026
- Why
- Strict WGA rules for eligibility, including scripts written under specific collective bargaining agreements and formal submission
Key facts
- Sentimental Value
- Cannes Film Festival winner, Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominee, Academy Award International Film entry
- It Was Just An Accident
- Cannes Film Festival winner, Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominee, Academy Award International Film entry
- The Secret Agent
- Cannes Film Festival winner, Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominee, Academy Award International Film entry
- Sirat
- Cannes Film Festival winner, Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominee, Academy Award International Film entry
- Father Mother Sister Brother
- Venice Film Festival Golden Lion winner by Jim Jarmusch
- Sorry, Baby
- Sundance Film Festival Waldo Salt Screenwriting winner, Indie Spirit nomination, critics groups recognition
- Rental Family
- Searchlight's original screenplay not on the ballot
- Dead Man’s Wire
- Original screenplay not on the ballot
- A Private Life
- Original screenplay not on the ballot
- Rosemead
- Original screenplay not on the ballot
- Blue Moon
- Robert Kaplow’s script for Richard Linklater’s film, not on the ballot
- Nouvelle Vague
- Richard Linklater’s film, eligible for the ballot
- No Other Choice
- South Korean Oscar entry from Park Chan-Wook, not on the ballot
- Pillion
- Cannes Un Certain Regard and Gotham Awards winner, not on the ballot
- The History Of Sound
- Not on the ballot
- Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight
- Not on the ballot
- Ballad Of A Small Player
- Not on the ballot
- The Chronology Of Water
- Kristen Stewart’s film, not on the ballot
- Peter Hujar’s Day
- Nominated for the USC Scripter Award, not on the ballot
- M3gan 2.0
- Eligible for the ballot
- Black Phone 2
- Eligible for the ballot
- Spinal Tap 2
- Rob Reiner’s final film, eligible for Adapted Screenplay consideration
Quotes
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers.
“Screenplays must have been written under a WGA collective bargaining agreement or under a bona fide collective bargaining agreement of the Writers Guild of Canada, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, Writers Guild of Ireland, Writers’ Guild of South Africa, New Zealand Writers Guild, ALMA Sindicato des Guionistas, Screenwriters Association (India), Screenwriters Guild of Korea (SGK), La Guilde Francaise des Scénaristes (France), Scriptwriters Guild of Israel, the Société des Auteurs de Radio, Télévision et Cinéma (Québec) or Verband Deutscher Drehbuchautoren (VDD/Germany) (collectively, “affiliate guilds”). Please note that an affiliate guild may impose additional requirements for a writer to be considered covered by its collective bargaining agreement.”
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