"God" and "Angels" were well-represented among winning scripts at the 2004 Humanitas Prize awards luncheon July 8 at the Hilton Universal Hotel, where over 350 members of the entertainment industry gathered to celebrate the 30th annual event honoring writers of films and television shows that enrich the viewing public.

Nine writers were honored for their "humanizing" scripts, including Barbara Hall, creator of the popular CBS television series "Joan of Arcadia" about a contemporary teenager's visits from "God," and Tony Kushner, screenwriter for the acclaimed HBO film about the early days of the AIDS crisis in the '80s, "Angels in America."

Cash prizes, totaling $115,000, were awarded in eight categories, including feature film, prime time television shows (30, 60 and 90 minutes), children's live action, children's animation, Sundance feature film and the Angell Comedy Fellowship.

Opening the awards program, Paulist Father Frank Desiderio, president of the Humanitas Prize, said that people are hungry for "authentic meaning" in the shows they watch. According to Father Desiderio, the Humanitas award founded by the late Paulist Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser has become even more important with the rise in reality shows which can have a "dehumanizing" effect on viewers as well as participants.

He announced the kickoff of a new fund raising campaign to improve the quality of children's entertainment. "The coming year, our real focus is going to be on children's TV," said Father Desiderio. The Ford Foundation has granted $150,000 in seed money to jumpstart the initiative. Applause broke out in the audience when it was announced that the grant would allow an increase in prize money for children's live action and animation categories, raising them from $10,000 to $25,000.

"Writing for children's television is just as important as any other kind of writing, and maybe more so because it's shaping [children's] young minds and thoughts" said Father Desiderio. "The work of a storyteller is a sacred vocation. A good story leaves people with some insights into themselves and gives them a glimpse of how they can be a better self…. Stories shape our culture, and today we honor excellent stories and the writers who brought them to us," declared Father Desiderio.

After receiving her award for winning the 60-minute television category with her pilot episode of "Joan of Arcadia," show creator-producer Barbara Hall thanked the Humanitas committee "for existing."

"This is so important to our profession," said Hall, a two-time Humanitas Prize winner. (She received an award in 1993 for an episode of the NBC show, "I'll Fly Away"). According to Hall, the industry needs to counterbalance the dehumanizing effects of reality programs, including scenes of public humiliation.

"People are important to each other and everybody's worthy of their own dignity and self-respect," said Hall. "Thank you for acknowledging these values."

Fellow two-time Humanitas Prize winner, Toni Ann Johnson, was the winning screenwriter in the children's $10,000 live action category for Showtime's "Crown Heights" (story by Michael D'Antonio) The story about racial riots erupting after a car accident in which a Jewish driver is responsible for the death of an African-American child was commended by the Humanitas committee for "its assertion that open and honest dialogue can bring about change."

In the children's animation category, Chris Nee was awarded $10,000 for an episode of Nickelodeon's recently cancelled series "Little Bill," created by comedian Bill Cosby. Humanitas judges cited Nee's screenplay, "I Can Sign"/"The Sign for Friend," for "its sensitive and charming look at the fears that come up when we encounter someone who is different than us."

For his uncompromising script about the "stark and realistic depiction of the life of undocumented workers," screenwriter Steven Knight won the $25,000 feature film category prize for "Dirty Pretty Things" (Miramax). The story recounts the dilemma of two employees of a West London hotel who are put to the test when discovering that a man is using hotel rooms for extracting and selling kidneys in exchange for passports.

Tony Kushner, screenwriter for HBO's "Angels in America," received $25,000 for his story of six characters and an Angel in New York City in the late 1980s as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) begins to ravage the community. The film was commended for "its brutally honest examination of society coming to terms with the reality of AIDS.

Jacob Aaron Estes won $10,000 in the Sundance feature film category for writing the screenplay "Mean Creek" (Paramount Classics). The story revolves around the unraveling of an innocent river trip when a juvenile prank of revenge veers out of control. The film was cited for "its honest exploration of making difficult and life changing choices."

Barbara Hall's $15,000 award in the 60-minute television category for the pilot episode of "Joan of Arcadia" was given for the story's "creative and insightful look at the spiritual nature of human beings." Inspired by the story of St. Joan of Arc, the show features a contemporary 16-year-old "Joan" and her reactions upon meeting "God."

JacQui Clay was the winning screenwriter in the 30-minute television category, garnering $10,000 for an episode of Fox's "The Bernie Mac Show." Her story, "Saving Sergeant Tompkins" was lauded for "a witty exploration of the meaning of truth."

Christopher Carlson, a student in Columbia University's graduate film program, was the recipient of the "2004 David and Lynn Angell Humanitas Comedy Fellowship. Carlson received a $10,000 stipend for his winning comedy spec script for an episode of "Scrubs."

Since its inception in 1974, the Humanitas Prize has presented over 220 prizes and dispersed over $2.2 million in prize money to television and film writers whose work honestly explores the complexities of the human experience and sheds light on the positive values of life. Each year, the Humanitas Prize holds Master Writers Workshops presented by today's leading writers. For more information, log on to www.humanitasprize.org