6/11/05 at 01:00 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Los Angeles, CA, Jun. 10 (UPI) -- This year's list of Humanitas Prize winners will not include an award for half-hour TV comedy because judges could not find three deserving nominees.


The Humanitas Prize was established in 1974 by the late Paulist priest Ellwood "Bud" Kieser "to encourage, stimulate and sustain writers in their humanizing task and to give them the recognition they deserve."

"Finding Neverland," "Hotel Rwanda" and "Millions" are nominated this year for best feature film. "Ike: Countdown to D-Day," "Lackawanna Blues" and "Saving Milly" have been nominated for best TV movie.

The nominees for best hour-long TV drama are "ER," "The West Wing" and two separate episodes of "House."

The Rev. Frank Desiderio, president of the Humanitas Prize, said the Humanitas Prize trustees voted not to award a prize this year for half-hour comedy.

"We look for stories that find humor without sacrificing the humanity of the characters," said Desiderio. "This year we couldn't find three shows that demonstrated great writing and keen insights into the human condition."

The Humanitas Prizes will be presented on June 29 in Los Angeles.