Yesterday's nominations for the Writer's Guild of America awards snubbed the Hollywood mainstream by installing five independent movies as the contenders for best original screenplay.

American films are also in the minority. US offerings Lost in Translation and The Station Agent are outnumbered by the British pictures Bend it Like Beckham and Dirty Pretty Things and by In America, from Irish writer-director Jim Sheridan.

Matters are more settled in the category of best adapted screenplay. Oscar favourite Cold Mountain lines up alongside Mystic River, Seabiscuit, Return of the King and American Splendor.

The WGA awards are traditionally regarded as a crucial pointer for the Academy Awards as most Guild members are also Academy voters. Yet last year's Oscars could hardly have been more different. The WGA gave their best original screenplay and best adapted screenplay to Bowling For Columbine and The Hours respectively. The Oscars responded by honouring Talk to Her and The Pianist.

The 59th WGA awards will be announced on Saturday February 21.