This is the first time an entry from South Africa has advanced to the finals.

Ten finalists, consisting of nine individual screenwriters and one writing team, have been chosen from a record 7 197 scripts submitted.

Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $35 000 fellowships.

This year's finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):
Nikole Beckwith, New York City, NY, "Stockholm, Pennsylvania"
Ryan Belenzon & Jeffrey Gelber, Los Angeles and Sherman Oaks, CA, X
Robert Carter, Red Bank, NJ, A.W.O.L.
Sean Robert Daniels, Laezonia, Gauteng, South Africa, Killers
James DiLapo, New York City, NY, Devils at Play
Allan Durand, Lafayette, LA, Willie Francis Must Die Again
Laurel Minter, Seattle, WA, When Thunder Sleeps
Bob Roden, Berkeley, CA, Return of the Dipsticks
April Rouveyrol, Glendale, CA, Life Copy
Michael Werwie, Los Angeles, Calif., Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile

The Nicholl competition is open to any individual who has not earned more than $5 000 writing for film or television or received a fellowship prize that includes a "first look" clause, an option, or any other quid pro quo involving the writer's work.

Entry scripts must be feature length and the original work of a sole author or of exactly two collaborative authors. The scripts must have been written originally in English. Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible.

The recipients of the 2012 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting will be announced later this month. The fellows will be honoured on Thursday, November 8, at a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire.