Nick Hornby Joins Screenwriter Lecture Series 2015 Lineup

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the BFI (British Film Institute) today announced that the latest in their prestigious series of lectures by the world's leading screenwriters will feature Britons Nick Hornby and Jimmy McGovern, Americans Nancy Meyers and Beau Willimon, and Australian Andrew Bovell. The lectures will take place in London between Wednesday 23 September and Saturday 3 October inclusive.

Now in its sixth year, the BAFTA and BFI Screenwriters' Lecture Series EXISTS to celebrate screenwriters' authorial contribution to film, and gives esteemed writers a platform to share highlights and insights from their careers with an audience of film-lovers and their peers. The series is funded by JJ Charitable Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. The official airline to the series is United Airlines.

BAFTA and Oscar-nominated writer and novelist Nick Hornby (An Education, Wild) starts the season on Wednesday 23 September at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. Screenwriter and playwright Andrew Bovell (Lantana, A Most Wanted Man) takes to the stage at BAFTA on Friday 25 September, followed by Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated writer and director Nancy Meyers (Private Benjamin, It's Complicated) on Saturday 26 September. BAFTA and Emmy award-winning writer and producer Jimmy McGovern (Hillsborough, The Street) will speak on Tuesday 29 September at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, before BAFTA, Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy nominated writer and showrunner Beau Willimon (The Ides of March, House of Cards) delivers the final lecture in the series on Saturday 3 October at BFI Southbank.

This year's season is programmed by BAFTA-winning screenwriter Jeremy Brock and BAFTA-winning producer Andrea Calderwood. Jeremy Brock, who originally conceived the series, said: "Each year, the Screenwriters' Lecture Series brings the importance of the screenwriters' role into sharp focus. Through their original ideas and adaptations, this season's esteemed speakers have helped bring to the screen stories that have touched our hearts, cheered our souls, and made us think."

Anne Morrison, Chair of BAFTA said: "We're thrilled to welcome such a wonderful line up of international talent for this year's Screenwriters' Lecture Series. Together our speakers have written some of the most successful and critically acclaimed films and television programmes of recent times, and boast a truly impressive range of credits spanning the decades. We look forward to sharing their insights with the public and their peers."

Heather Stewart, Creative Director, BFI said: "Great film and television begin with the writer and this year's Screenwriters' Lecture Series once again offers a rare privilege for professionals and fans alike to glimpse inside the writer's world and discover the secrets of their craft. This is a must-see series that we're proud to work alongside BAFTA in presenting."

As part of both organisations' commitment to learning, podcasts of all the lectures, including exclusive video content, will be available for free on BAFTA Guru, BAFTA's online learning channel, and the BFI's VOD service BFI Player, later in the year. Lectures from previous years of the series are available now at http://guru.bafta.org/craft/screenwriting and on http://player.bfi.org.uk/ (search for 'screenwriters').

Booking information:

Public tickets for Nick Hornby, Andrew Bovell, Nancy Meyers and Jimmy McGovern, are available from 1pm on Friday 7 August via the BAFTA website (www.bafta.org/whats-on). Tickets for Beau Willimon are on sale from 11.30am on Tuesday 11 August through the BFI Southbank box office (www.bfi.org.uk/whatson).

BFI and BAFTA members can book tickets from Tuesday 4 August and Wednesday 5 August respectively.

Event dates and venues:

Wednesday 23 September Nick Hornby BAFTA 195 Piccadilly

Friday 25 September Andrew Bovell BAFTA 195 Piccadilly

Saturday 26 September Nancy Meyers BAFTA 195 Piccadilly

Tuesday 29 September Jimmy McGovern BAFTA 195 Piccadilly

Saturday 3 October Beau Willimon BFI Southbank