‘The Descendants’ wins the USC Scripter Award for writing

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‘The Descendants’ won the USC Libraries Scripter Award, a prize that honors the best adapted screenplay of the year as well as the book the film is based on. Screenwriters Alexander Payne (who also directed the film) and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash shared the prize with novelist Kaui Hart Hemmings at the Saturday ceremony at the university’s Edward L. Doheny Library.

The drama set in Hawaii about a father of two coping with betrayal, loss and forgiveness was in competition for the 24th annual Scripter Award with ‘Jane Eyre,’ ‘A Dangerous Method,’ ‘Moneyball’ and ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.’

The screenplay has been up for numerous awards, including the BAFTA and Golden Globe, and is up for a Writers Guild of America honor, which will be announced Sunday, the Independent Spirit Award and an Academy Award.

Last year’s Scripter winner, ‘The Social Network,’ went on to win the adapted screenplay Oscar for Aaron Sorkin.

Paul Haggis was this year’s recipient of the Scripter Library Achievement Award.

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--Susan King