Journalist Mark Boal has been awarded the Gucci Group Award for his screenplay of Katheryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, presented during the 66th Venice Film Festival.

The Gucci Group Award, in its fourth year, recognises an artist who has made a “remarkable” contribution to a film during the past 18 months.

Boal was selected by a jury composed of actress Patricia Clarkson, director Zoe Cassavetes, photographer Mario Testino, editor Ingrid Sischy and Venice artistic director Marco Mueller.

The Hurt Locker is based on Boal’s experiences when he was embedded with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit in 2004. Katheryn Bigelow’s film was in competition at last year’s Venice Film Festival.

Boal told ScreenDaily that is he working on a new project with Bigelow called Triple Frontier, which he describes as “an intense ensemble film that takes place in the triple frontier of Brazil – a very lawless region.”

Other nominees included Shirin Neshat with Women Without Men and Pipilotti Rist’s Pepperminta, both of which are in screening in this year’s festival, and Yann Arthus – Bertrand’s Home.

Gucci Group President and CEO Robert Poulet hosted the award ceremony Venice’s Palazzo Grassi.