The Hurt Locker and Up In The Air cemented their status as Academy Awards frontrunners as both films emerged triumphant at the 2010 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday [20].

Mark Boal took the original screenplay award for The Hurt Locker, while Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner won the adapted screenplay prize for Up In The Air based on Walter Kirn’s novel.

The Cove written by Mark Monroe was named best screenplay in the documentary category.

In the honourary awards roll call, Barry Levinson received the Screen Laurel Award for lifetime achievement, Invictus writer Anthony Peckham earned the Paul Selvin Award recognising written work that spotlights constitutional rights and civil liberties, and Carl Gottlieb received the Morgan Cox Award in honour of his lengthy Guild service.

The Writers Guild Of America, West and Writers Guild Of America, East awards show took place simultaneously at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.