The UNLV department of film is excited to announce that Thomas "Tex" Gresham, a graduate student in the MFA program, is one of four finalists for the prestigious and highly competitive Humanitas Prize. 

There are two categories, comedy and drama; Gresham's script, Fix Daddy — about a father/son road trip involving a man-child and his broken TV — is in the comedy category, which is the "David and Lynn Angell College Comedy Fellowship." The winner, who will receive $20,000, will be revealed in January. 

 "This is a huge honor to be a part of the Humanitas Awards," Gresham said. "I strive to create stories of human connection, so to have made it as one of the finalists is very rewarding as a writer."

Film department chair Heather Addison said Gresham has been a wonderful contributor to the program. "What's particularly exciting is that the Humanitas Prize recognizes authors not only for their outstanding screenwriting, but also for the strong contributions their work makes to advancing human dignity, empathy, and freedom," Addison said. "Tom is an inspiration to all of us."  

Humanitas is a non-profit organization that honors and empowers film and television writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way that brings the global community closer.

A signature Humanitas story challenges us to use our freedom to grow and develop by confronting us with our individual responsibility, examining the consequences of our choices, and entertaining us with fully realized characters and elegantly crafted stories. The overarching goal of Humanitas is to promote peace and love in the human family — one story at a time.

"The Humanitas Awards are unique in Hollywood," said Sean Clark, graduate coordinator in the film department and professor of screenwriting. "It is such an honor for Tom to have his writer's voice recognized by this expert judging panel."