Screenwriters honored for Positive Work

The writers of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Crash” and “Glory Road” were among the finalists announced Monday for this year’s Humanitas Prize.

The award, now in its 32nd year, honors film and TV writers whose work “honestly explores the complexities of the human experience and sheds light on the positive values of life.”

In the feature film category, which bestows a $25,000 prize, the finalists are screenwriters Ann Peacock and Andrew Adamson and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely for “Narnia”; Oscar winners Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco for “Crash”; and Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois for “Glory Road.”

HBO scored two of three mentions in the 90-minute TV category, which also carries a $25,000 prize. The finalists in that race include Richard Curtis for the network’s “The Girl in the Cafe” and Margaret Nagle for “Warm Springs.” Rounding out the category is Stephen Harrigan for Hallmark Channel’s “The Colt.”

Meanwhile, writers on NBC shows netted four of six mentions between the 60- and 30-minute TV categories. In the 60-minute category, which carries a $15,000 prize, the finalists are Janine Sherman Barrois, writer of the “Darfur” episode of NBC’s “ER”; David Shore for the “Three Stories” episode of Fox’s “House”; and Jonathan Greene, writer of the “Ripped” episode of NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

In the 30-minute category, worth $10,000, the finalists are Jim Hope, writer of the “George Lopez” episode titled “The Kidney Stays in the Picture” on ABC; Greg Garcia for the pilot of NBC’s “My Name Is Earl”; and Garrett Donovan & Neil Goldman, who wrote the “My Way Home” episode of NBC’s “Scrubs.”

The prizes will be handed out June 28 during a luncheon at the Universal Hilton.