American Fiction and The Holdovers won the top film accolades at the Writers Guild of America Awards on Sunday night.

Cord Jefferson was awarded the Adapted Screenplay prize for American Fiction, his adaptation of Percival Everett’s book Erasure, beating out fellow contenders Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon and Nyad.

In his acceptance speech, Jefferson, who also directed the film, said, “I love the Writers Guild, I love writers, I love being a writer, this is a huge honour, thank you all so much.”

The win caps off a successful awards season for Jefferson, who won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar and BAFTA earlier this year.

He returned to the stage later in the ceremony to be honoured with the Paul Sevlin Award, which is given to a script which “best embodies the spirit of the constitutional and civil rights and liberties which are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere”.

In his second speech, he gave a shout-out to Everett, “whose support and friendship during and after the making of American Fiction has enriched my life in ways large and small”.

Elsewhere in the show, David Hemingson was awarded Original Screenplay for The Holdovers. The festive comedy-drama won over Air, Barbie, May December and Past Lives despite being publicly accused of plagiarism by Luca writer Simon Stephenson in March.

During his acceptance speech, Hemingson seemingly shut down the claim when he thanked his wife and sons for supporting him over “the six gruelling years it took to conceive and write The Holdovers” and actors Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa for bringing his characters to life.

In the TV categories, Succession won two awards, while The Bear, The Last of Us, Beef and Poker Face took home one each.

The awards were handed out in simultaneous ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles on Sunday.

Here is the main list of winners:

Original Screenplay: The Holdovers – David Hemingson

Adapted Screenplay: American Fiction – Cord Jefferson

Documentary Screenplay: The Pigeon Tunnel – Errol Morris

Drama Series: Succession

Comedy Series: The Bear

New Series: The Last of Us

Limited Series: Beef

TV & New Media Motion Pictures: Quiz Lady

Animation: Carl Carlson Rides Again (The Simpsons)

Episodic Drama: Living+ (Succession)

Episodic Comedy: Escape From S**t Mountain (Poker Face)

Comedy/Variety Talk Series: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

Comedy/Variety Sketch Series: I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson

Comedy/Variety Specials: Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love

Quiz and Audience Participation: The Chase

Daytime Drama: Days of Our Lives

© Cover Media