The Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is a fellowship program founded in 1986 to aid screenwriters. It is administered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Gee Nicholl, widow of producer Don Nicholl, worked with Julian Blaustein in 1985 to develop the program with the Academy. The original 1986 winners were Allison Anders, Dennis Clontz, and Jeff Eugenides. 1989 fellow Radha Bharadwaj wrote the first screenplay made into a film, the 1991 drama Closet Land. Clontz won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994 and Eugenides won one in 2003. 1992 fellow Susannah Grant was the first nominated for an Academy Award, for the screenplay for Erin Brockovich. The fellowship celebrated its 25th year in 2010.
As of the 2013 contest, 17 winning scripts have later been produced.
2016 Nicholl Fellows
Michele Atkins, Talking About the SkySpencer Harvey and Lloyd Harvey, Photo BoothGeeta Malik, Dinner with FriendsElizabeth Oyebode,Tween the RopesJustin Piasecki, Death of an Ortolan2015 Nicholl Fellows
Amy Tofte, Addis AbekaAndrew Friedhof, Great FallsAnthony Grieco, Best SellersElizabeth Chomko, What They HadSam Regnier, Free Agent2014 Nicholl Fellows
Sam Baron, The Science of Love and LaughterAlisha Brophy & Scott Miles, United States of Fuckin' AwesomeMelissa Iqbal, The Death EngineSallie West, Moonflower2013 Nicholl Fellows
Frank DeJohn & David Alton Hedges, LegionPatty Jones, Joe BanksAlan Roth, Jersey City StoryStephanie Shannon, Queen of HeartsBarbara Stepansky, Sugar in My Veins2012 Nicholl Fellows
Nikole Beckwith, Stockholm, PennsylvaniaSean Robert Daniels, KillersJames DiLapo, Devils at PlayAllan Durand, Willie Francis Must Die AgainMichael Werwie, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile2011 Nicholl Fellows
Chris Bessounian & Tianna Langham, Guns and SarisDion Cook, CutterJohn MacInnes, Outside the WireMatthew Murphy, UnicornAbel Vang & Burlee Vang, The Tiger's Child2010 Nicholl Fellows
Destin Daniel Cretton, Short Term 12 (Produced)Marvin Krueger, And Handled with a ChainAndrew Lanham, The Jumper of MaineMicah Ranum, A Good HunterCinthea Stahl, Identifying Marks2009 Nicholl Fellows
Matt Ackley, Victoria FallsVineet Dewan and Angus Fletcher, Sand DogsJohn Griffin, Dream Before WakingNidhi Anna Verghese, Jallianwala BaghJeff Williams, Pure2008 Nicholl Fellows
Jeremy Bandow, HiveKen Kristensen & Colin Marshall, Out of BreathJason A. Micallef, Butter (Produced)Eric Nazarian, GiantsLee Patterson, Snatched2007 Nicholl Fellows
Amy Garcia & Cecilia Contreras, Amelia Earhart and the Bologna Rainbow HighwayMichael L. Hare, The Fly FisherSidney King, KalonaDavid Mango, Kissing a Suicide BomberAndrew Shearer & Nicholas J. Sherman, Holy Irresistible2006 Nicholl Fellows
Alfred E. Carpenter & Mark A. Matusof, 38 MercuryArthur M. Jolly, The Free Republic of BobistanStephanie Lord, Palau RainJosh D. Schorr, 10 Day ContractScott K. Simonsen, Tides of Summer2005 Nicholl Fellows
Morgan Read-Davidson, The Days BetweenSeth Resnik & Ron Moskovitz, Fire in a Coal MineMichael D. Zungolo, No CountryColleen Cooper De Maio, Pirates of Lesser ProvidenceGian Marco Masoni, Ring of Fire2004 Nicholl Fellows
Sean Mahoney, Fenian's TraceDaniel Lawrence, The Gaza GolemDoug Davidson, Letter QuestWhit Rummel, The Secret BoyJohn Sinclair & Nova Jacobs, Split Infinity2003 Nicholl Fellows
Andrea R. Herman, AugmentationTejal K. Desai & Brian C. Wray, Linda and HenryAnnie Reid, RevivalBragi Schut Jr., Season of the Witch (Produced)James N. Mottern, Trucker (Produced)2002 Nicholl Fellows
John Ciarlo, Bend in the RiverMatt Harris, Moon of Popping TreesPamela Kay, Nude and NakedKurt Kuenne, Mason MuleCreighton Rothenberger, The Chosin2001 Nicholl Fellows
Patricia Burroughs, RedemptionGreg M. Dawless, One Hour DevelopmentRobert S. Edwards, Land of the Blind (Produced)Albert Letizia, The Northern LightsCameron B. Young, Saint Vincent2000 Nicholl Fellows
Doug Atchison, Akeelah and the Bee (Produced)Alfredo Botello, The CrasherGabrielle Burton, The Imperial WaltzChristine R. Downs, Victory RoadJames M. Foley, Powder River Breakdown1999 Nicholl Fellows
Chris E. Balibrera, HarvestT. J. Lynch, The Beginning of WisdomAnnmarie E. Morais, BleedingJaime David Silverman, Last MealsRebecca A. Sonnenshine, Mermaid Dreams1998 Nicholl Fellows
Jacob A. Estes, Mean Creek (Produced)Robert H. Gyde, Jelly-BabiesDonna McNeely, Julia's ChildKaren M. Moncrieff, Blue Car (Produced)Michael A. Rich, Finding Forrester (Produced)1997 Nicholl Fellows
Glen Craney, Whisper the WindScott Ferraiolo, The Palace of VersaillesAnthony J. Jaswinski, InterstateKaren Otoole, Wild HorsesMichele Sutter, This Place in the Ways1996 Nicholl Fellows
Will Chandler, Cyrano of Linden ViewEhren Kruger, Arlington Road (Produced)Carlton Proctor, SommervilleBrian Teshera, ...In a HeartbeatCraig von Wiederhold, Dead Eyes1995 Nicholl Fellows
Richard Cray, Love, Squid & PavarottiScott Fifer, StarstruckPatrick Gilfillan, G.U. (Geographically Undesirable)Robley Wilson, Land Fishers1994 Nicholl Fellows
Max Adams, My Back YardSteve Garvin, Status QuoCharles Henrich, Joshua TreeGlenn Levin, Spano and the Kid1993 Nicholl Fellows
Victoria Jennings Arch, A Terrible BeautyBob Bridges, Doniphan of the AmericasMyron E. Goble, Down in the Delta (Produced)Jodi Ann Johnson, Mama & MeDawn O'Leary, Island of Brilliance (Produced)1992 Nicholl Fellows
Robert N. Cohen, The Good Ole BoySusannah Grant, Island GirlAndrew W. Marlowe, The Lehigh PiratesTerri Edda Miller, BedwarmerMichelle Wollmers, Infidels1991 Nicholl Fellows
Len Alaria, War CryPeter Crow, TraceRaymond De Felitta, Begin the BeguineRonald Emmons, By Bread AloneBrian Reich, Baubles1990 Nicholl Fellows
David Gordon, RocketmanRobert Gregory Browne, Low TideKent Rizley, The GentlemenThomas Smith, Slings and ArrowsWanda Warner, Chief to Chief1989 Nicholl Fellows
Radha Bharadwaj, Closet Land (Produced)Mark Lowenthal, Where the Elephant Sits (Produced)James McGlynn, Traveller (Produced)Deborah Pryor, Briar Patch (Produced)Laverne Stringer, The Cotton Gin Athletic Club1988 Nicholl Fellows
No fellowships awarded1987 Nicholl Fellows
Christopher Bishop, SwampersKevin Coffey, FadeawaySallie Groo, Daughters of MusicMarie Angela Kellier, Solita's RiseRandall McCormick, Giant StepsWarren Taylor, In the Dark (Produced)Priscilla Waggoner, Mother's Nature1986 Nicholl Fellows
Allison Anders, Lost HighwayDennis Clontz, Generations (play)Jeff Eugenides, Here Comes Winston, Full of the Holy Spirit (fiction)