Jim Sheridan (In America) and Niki Caro (Whale Rider) are among 41 writers vying for $105,000in prize money in this year's 29th Humanitas Prize.

Overall there are 41 entrants in seven categories encompassingfilm and television, from which seven theatrical screenwriters will contest thefeature film and Sundance feature film categories.

Nominations in the feature film category ($25,000 prize) are PeterHedges, Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz for About A Boy, Antwone Fisher for Antwone Fisher and Ronald Harwood for The Pianist.

Nominees in the Sundance feature film category ($10,000 prize) areJim Sheridan, Naomi Sheridan and Kirsten Sheridan for In America, Peter Hedges for Pieces Of April, Peter Sollett and Eva Vives for RaisingVictor Vargas and NikiCaro for Whale Rider.

The prizes will be awarded at a luncheon in Los Angeles on Jul 10.

'Excellent writing is not only about craft, it's also abouttelling a meaningful story. The stories we honour give insight into what itmeans to be human and gives us a vision of a more humane world,' FrankDesiderio, president of the Humanitas Prize, said.

The Humanitas Prize was established in 1974 by the priest Ellwood'Bud' Kieser to honour film and television writers whose work shedspositive light on the human condition.

Pervious winners include Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List), Tim Robbins (Dead Man Walking), and Kenneth Lonergan (You Can CountOn Me).

As previouslyreported on Screendaily (Jun 10) Fay Kanin, the Emmy Award-winning Americanscreenwriter who shared an Oscar nomination for the comedy Teacher's Pet with her late husband Michael Kanin in1958, will receive the second Kieser Award.