DGA News

Black is up for the WGA Award and Oscar for original screenplay for Focus Features' biopic of pioneering gay politico Harvey Milk. "Milk" is also in the running for Oscar best pic honors.

The WGA West's Selvin kudo, to be presented Saturday at the guild's awards ceremony at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, recognizes scribes whose works examine issues of civil rights and constitutional freedoms.

"Lance Black's script reminds us that all it takes is a single spark to light the fuse of an entire movement," said WGA West prexy Patric Verrone in announcing the nod.

Black was born a year after Milk was assassinated in 1978. His credits range from docus "On the Bus" and "My Life With Count Dracula" to HBO's "Big Love" and the BBC skein "Faking It."

At present he's working with "Milk" helmer Gus Van Sant on a feature adaptation of Tom Wolfe's chronicle of the psychedelic era "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" and on his feature directing debut, "What's Wrong With Virginia," to star Jennifer Connelly.