This year’s HUMANITAS Prize nominations have been announced honoring TV and movie who create stories that are  “truly and deeply explore the human experience in a way that both entertains and enlightens.”

Nominees include:

Feature Film Category ($10,000)
127 HOURS Written By: Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
THE FIGHTER Written By: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
THE KING’S SPEECH Written By: David Seidler

Sundance Feature Film Category ($10,000)
GUN HILL ROAD Written By: Rashaad Ernesto Green
MEEK’S CUTOFF Written By: Jonathan Raymond
WIN WIN Written By: Thomas McCarthy

Documentary Category ($5,000)
BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY Written By: Philip Shane & Justin Weinstein
LOUDER THAN A BOMB Directed By: Greg Jacobs & Jon Siskel
NESHOBA: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM Written By: Micki Dickoff

90 Minute Category ($10,000)
REVIVING OPHELIA Written By: Teena Booth (Lifetime)
TAKEN FROM ME: THE TIFFANY RUBIN STORY Written By: Michael Bortman (Lifetime)
THURGOOD Written By: George Stevens, Jr. (HBO)

60 Minute Category ($10,000)
HOUSE “Help Me” Written By: Russel Friend, Garrett Lerner & Peter Blake (FOX)
THE PACIFIC “Part 10” Written By: Bruce McKenna & Robert Schenkkan (HBO)
DROP DEAD DIVA “Good Grief” Written By: Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman (Lifetime)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS “Always” Written By: Jason Katims (NBC)

30 Minute Category ($10,000)
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER “Last Words” Written By: Carter Bays & Craig Thomas (CBS)
MODERN FAMILY “The Kiss” Written By: Abraham Higginbotham (ABC)
NURSE JACKIE “Monkey Bits” Written By: Liz Brixius (Showtime)
THE BIG C “Taking the Plunge” Written By: Darlene Hunt (Showtime)

Prizes will also be awarded to:

Children’s Animation ($10,000)
KUNG FU PANDA HOLIDAY SPECIAL Written By: Jonathan Groff & Jon Pollack (NBC)

The David & Lynn Angell Fellowship in Comedy Writing ($10,000)
ROBIN W. MORTON University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Film and Television Spec script of MODERN FAMILY “Life is Beautiful”

Fellowship in Dramatic Writing ($10,000)
AMY RIPLEY University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts Original script of INKLINGS “Pilot”

Past winners of the HUMANITAS Prize have included: Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious); Steve Levitan (Modern Family, Frasier); Ryan Murphy (Glee); Robert & Michelle King (The Good Wife); David E. Kelley (The Practice, Picket Fences); Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting); Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List); David Shore (House); Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing); Tim Robbins (Dead Man Walking); Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights); Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter (WALL-E); Aseem Batra (Scrubs); Nancy Oliver (Lars and the Real Girl); Eric Roth & Michael Mann (The Insider); Paul Haggis (Crash); Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue) and Keir Pearson & Terry George (Hotel Rwanda).

Additionally, Gary David Goldberg (Family Ties) will be the recipient of the Kieser Award which is given to an individual “whose work has helped promote a greater appreciation for each member of the human family.” The Kieser Award is named after Fr. Ellwood “Bud” Kieser, the Catholic priest who founded the HUMANITAS Prize. Previous honorees have included Bill Moyers and Larry Gelbart (M*A*S*H).

The 37th annual event will be held on Friday, September 16th in Beverly Hills.