2024 Award Season Screenplays to Download and Study
As the Oscars approach, 5AM StoryTalk has collected links to dozens of the most celebrated films of the past year for you to read for free
So, it’s Wednesday morning PST, which means 5AM StoryTalk is supposed to share with its paid subscribers an exclusive article, essay, or video podcast. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles fires have complicated my publishing schedule. I don’t mean that it’s unfortunate that I’ve been inconvenienced or you, as my readers, have been. But because a city I love so much has suffered something unimaginable.
That said, there’s no getting around the fact that I have made certain commitments to you and I — as I hope you understand — am unable to meet them today. The specific reason is much of my work here involves the collaboration of others, such as the artists I interview, and right now many of them are suffering and unavailable. I’m making certain adjustments right now, scrambling, to make sure there aren’t any other disruptions on my end in the weeks to come. But again, I hope you understand if there are given what is transpiring in L.A.
For now, I’d like to make this up to you by sharing with you links to all of this film award season’s screenplays that I’ve collected. I’m going to leave the paywall down, mostly because I feel dreamers, the storytellers who make up a lot of my readership, need some distraction this week.
When you’re through, continue to scroll down and consider donating to one of the charities supporting the victims of and first responders to the L.A. fires.
All of these screenplays tend to vanish, as all things do on the Internet. Download ASAP for your personal study. And if you want more resources like this one, be sure to check out my other articles:
“Read the 10 Feature Screenplays the WGA Thinks Are the Best of 2023”
“10 Screenplays by the Great Walter Hill to Download and Study”
“15 Iconic '90s Pilot Scripts to Download and Study”
“15 Disaster Film/TV Scripts to Download and Study”
“Steven Spielberg in the 20th Century: 17 Scripts Written and/or Developed by the Master to Download and Study”
“20 Christmas Movie Screenplays to Download and Study for Free”
“25 Time-Bending Scripts to Download and Study”
“30 Brilliant BBC Drama Scripts to Download and Study for Free”
“35 Coming-of-Age Scripts to Download and Study”
“40 20th Century Science-Fiction Scripts to Download and Study”
“40 Great Action Screenplays to Download and Study for Free”
“50 Essential 21st-Century One-Hour Pilot Scripts to Download and Study for Free”
“50 Great Screenplays by Women to Download and Study for Free”
“50 Great Screenplays by People of Color to Download and Study for Free”
“60 Great Comedy Screenplays to Download and Study for Free”
“60 Screenplays About Love and Heartbreak to Download and Study for Free”
“100 Horror Screenplays to Download and Study for Free”
Enjoy the reads!
Please note that I have not had the time to type in all of the screenwriters involved, as this was a last-minute article to make sure I didn’t leave your inboxes completely empty today. I will try to return to this in the near-future to give the writers their due. But if not, please visit Wikipedia to learn more about who is behind each of these.
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT
ANORA
THE APPRENTICE
BETTER MAN
BLINK TWICE
BLITZ
BABYGIRL
THE BRUTALIST
CHALLENGERS
CIVIL WAR
Read my thoughts on Civil War here.
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
CONCLAVE
DADDIO
DAY OF THE FIGHT
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
DIDI
A DIFFERENT MAN
DUNE: PART TWO
EMILIA PÉREZ
THE FIRE INSIDE
FLOW
GLADIATOR II
HERETIC
HIS THREE DAUGHTERS
HIT MAN
THE IDEA OF YOU
I SAW THE TV GLOW
I’M STILL HERE
INSIDE OUT 2
Read my artist-on-artist conversation with co-screenwriter Meg LeFauve here.
JUROR #2
THE LAST SHOWGIRL
MARIA
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL
MOANA 2
MY OLD ASS
NICKEL BOYS
NIGHTBITCH
NOSFERATU
THE ORDER
THE OUTRUN
THE PIANO LESSON
QUEER
A REAL PAIN
THE ROOM NEXT DOOR
SATURDAY NIGHT
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
SEPTEMBER 5
SING, SING
SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE
THE SUBSTANCE
THELMA
TRANSFORMERS ONE
UNSTOPPABLE
WICKED
Read my thoughts on Wicked here.
THE WILD ROBOT
YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA
Please consider supporting the victims of and first responders to the L.A. fires by donating to one of the following charities:
Community Foundation's Wildfire Recovery Fund
Supports intermediate and long-term recovery efforts for major California wildfires, as well as preparedness efforts.
California Fire Foundation
Provides immediate assistance to victims through programs like supplying disaster relief cash cards to those affected by wildfires.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Assists in rebuilding homes for those affected by wildfires.
Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation
Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that directly supports the Los Angeles Fire Department.
World Central Kitchen
Nonprofit that immediately prepares and serves meals to communities impacted by natural disasters and during humanitarian crises.
If this article added anything to your life but you’re not up for a paid subscription, consider buying me a “coffee” so I can keep as much of this newsletter free as possible for the dreamers who couldn’t afford it otherwise.
If you enjoyed this particular article, these other three might also prove of interest to you:
I echo the sentiments above, Cole. I pay for my subscription to 5AM because I'm so grateful for what you share here, and I want to support your work. I don't really expect or need a regular schedule of articles from you at the best of times, so take as much time as you need. Not just to take account of the disruptions, but to process what's happening. You might not live there anymore, but it's bound to be bringing up all sorts of stuff for you, and you deserve the grace to work through that.
This paid subscriber is urging you to take all the time you need for yourself and for those to whom you need to attend. I’m not going anywhere. Yours is one of the best Substacks on the site. Wishing you and everyone related to these fires strength and resilience. 🙏❤️