OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Payal Kapadia for All We Imagine as Light

Justin Kuritzkes for Challengers

Mike Leigh for Hard Truths

Azazel Jacobs for His Three Daughters

Coralie Fargeat for The Substance

AND THE WINNER:

MIKE LEIGH FOR HARD TRUTHS

This is the first win and fourth nomination for Mike Leigh. He was previously nominated for writing Secrets & Lies (1996), Vera Drake (2004) & Happy-Go-Lucky (2008).

Mike Leigh such a vital and important voice in the history of British cinema is a director/screenwriter who I've loved for basically my whole life of watching great cinema and with his latest Hard Truths this year I am yet again impressed how the director can continue to make such fantastic cinema. When it comes to the screenplay of his films anyone who knows the smallest amount of information about Leigh knows his scripts are developed through rehearsal and character work and with such strong characters in this drama I have to praise the situations and distinct personalities created for this film.

I am not soon to forget about many of the great elements of Hard Truths and not only am I happy to award Leigh for his great screenwriting but also a moment to award such a brilliant film maker whose work when great must always be valued as we never know if the film we are currently watching will be his last.