"Argo" was named the best book-to-screen adaptation of 2012 at the USC Libraries Scripter Award, winning an award that was shared by screenwriter Chris Terrio and authors Joshua Bearman and Antonio J. Mendez.
The Scripters, which were handed out at a black-tie ceremony and dinner in the Edward L. Doheny Memorial Library at USC on Saturday night, go to both the writer of an adapted screenplay and to the author or authors of the work on which the screenplay is based.
"Argo" screenwriter Chris Terrio was honored alongside Joshuah Bearman, who wrote the original Wired magazine article on which the film was partially based, and Antonio Mendez, the former CIA agent whose memoir "Master of Disguise" was adapted and who Affleck played in the film.
"Argo" was selected over "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Life of Pi," "Beasts of the Southern Wild" and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by a jury of film critics, authors, screenwriters and academics chaired by Naomi Foner and Howard Rodman.
The committee also included Michael Chabon, Geoffrey Fletcher, Nick Hornby, Robin Swicord, Kenneth Turan and Gale Anne Hurd.
All of the nominees except "Perks" are also in the running for the adapted-screenplay Oscar, where the race appears to be tight between "Argo," "Lincoln" and "Silver Linings."
But with "Argo" adding yet another victory to a string that also includes the Producers Guild, Directors Guild and Screen Actors Guild ensemble awards, Ben Affleck's drama is looking like an unstoppable awards juggernaut.
Also read: SAG Awards 2013 Analysis: Even When It's Not Supposed To, 'Argo' Keeps Winning
The award was accepted by Bearman, the only one of the three "Argo" winners to attend. "As a journalist, I'm totally behind this idea," he said of the Scripter philosophy of honoring the authors of the original material. "I think it's great."
With the BAFTA Awards taking place in London on Sunday and fierce storms wreaking havoc with travel on the East Coast, almost none of the nominees were present at the ceremony, which was hosted by the Dean of the USC Libraries, Catherine Quinlan.
Also at the ceremony, which USC uses as an annual fundraiser for the libraries, "Brokeback Mountain" screenwriters Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana received the Literary Achievement Award.
Past Scripter winners include Oscar champs "The Descendants," "The Social Network," "Slumdog Millionaire" and "No Country for Old Men," as well as "Up in the Air," "Capote" and "Children of Men."