The Black List: 20 Films for 20 Years

ABOUT THE SERIES: 

American Cinematheque and the Black List, which will release their 20th annual list in December 2024, are collaborating on a year-long series of film programs that will highlight films made from the first two decades of the annual Black List. Starting with two events in January 2024 at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica, the series will feature screenings of notable films, including SALTBURN and PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, curated by Emerald Fennell, and Ava DuVernay’s ORIGIN paired with SELMA for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Since its launch in 2005, the annual Black List has yielded over 400 produced scripts, amassing a global box office revenue exceeding $28 billion. Notably, films originating from Black List scripts have secured 12 Best Screenplay Oscars since 2007 and clinched four Best Picture Oscars, with successes like SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, THE KING’S SPEECH, ARGO and SPOTLIGHT. In October 2012, the Black List launched an online community, hosting over 100,000 scripts and facilitating 130,000 script evaluations. Many writers have found representation and sold their screenplays through Black List introductions, resulting in noteworthy films such as NAACP Award-nominated MR. MALCOLM’S LIST, Independent Spirit Award-nominated THE NOVICE, and Golden Globe-nominated NIGHTINGALE.

Throughout 2024, the Black List and American Cinematheque will showcase diverse and memorable films from annual Black List scripts in a year-long series at theaters in Santa Monica, Hollywood, and Los Feliz. Franklin Leonard, the Black List founder, expressed pride in the enduring value of a great screenplay and the joy of experiencing exceptional movies in theaters with an audience. The series will announce additional titles and host Q&As in the coming year, celebrating two decades of the Black List and the remarkable talents behind these compelling stories.