Everything about Awards, eh?

Nominees announced for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards

From a media release:

Today, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) announced the nominees for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards in 145 television, film, and digital media categories, which also include the inaugural nominations in gender-neutral performance categories for lead and supporting performers in film and television.

The first season of CBC’s The Porter leads both television and overall 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominations with 19, including Best Drama Series and Best Lead Performer, Drama Series nominations for Aml Ameen, Ronnie Rowe Jr., and Mouna Traoré. Both CBC’s Sort Of and CBC Gem’s Detention Adventure received 15 nominations, followed by CBC’s Pretty Hard Cases with 11.

In film, Clement Virgo’s Brother tops nominations with 14, including Achievement in Direction and Performance in a Leading Role for Lamar Johnson. Stéphane Lafleur’s Viking follows with 13, while David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future boasts 11.

Revenge of the Black Best Friend leads digital media nominations with nine, including Best Web Program or Series, Fiction; followed by Avocado Toast The Series with seven and Tokens with four.

“From legendary directors like David Cronenberg to new voices like Bilal Baig, the 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominees reaffirm that our country has an immensely talented industry, and we are lucky to call them Canadian,” said Tammy Frick, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “Supporting these artists has never been more important, and we are proud to be at the centre of those efforts. I’m thrilled to share my heartfelt congratulations with all of the nominees, and look forward to raising a glass to them in person this April.”

The 2023 Canadian Screen Awards will be presented in a series of seven intimate genre-based awards presentations, with esteemed members of the Canadian screen-based industry who brought us the best work from the last year, gathering in person at Meridian Hall in Toronto from Tuesday, April 11, 2023 through to Friday, April 14, 2023, all culminating with The Canadian Screen Awards with Samantha Bee, broadcasting on Sunday, April 16 at 8 PM (9 AT, 9:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.

An intimate look at Canadian storytelling excellence on screen, The Canadian Screen Awards with Samantha Bee is an hour-long, star-studded broadcast special featuring celebrity interviews, highlights from the awards presentations throughout Canadian Screen Week 2023, and the presentation of the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award. The special will also include exclusive access to this year’s Special Award recipients, including: Ryan Reynolds, recipient of the Humanitarian Award, presented by Paramount+; Catherine O’Hara, who will receive the Academy Icon Award, presented by CBC; and Simu Liu, the recipient of the Radius Award, presented by MADE | NOUS.

For the full list of 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominees, please visit academy.ca/nominees; view the full schedule for Canadian Screen Week 2023 at academy.ca/schedule.

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Screen Nova Scotia announces 2022 award winners

From a media release:

Screen Nova Scotia hosted its eighth annual awards gala on Saturday, June 18th, in the Schooner Ballroom at Casino Nova Scotia in front of a sold-out crowd of industry members and supporters. The event was the first in-person awards show since 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic moved the awards to an online format for two years.

The awards gala celebrates the incredible talent, creativity, and passion that are the trademarks of Nova Scotia’s screen industry. Notable awards include the ACTRA Awards for Outstanding Performances, the Groundbreaking Performance Award, the Film Crew Excellence Award, the Women in Film & Television – Atlantic Award, and the Community Recognition Award, along with the Screen Nova Scotia Awards for best television, film, and animation.

The night’s finale was the Screen Nova Scotia Award for Best Feature Film, which went to Night Blooms from writer/director Stephanie Joline and producers Marc Tetreault and Jason Levangie (Shut Up & Colour Pictures). The film is a coming-of-age drama set in the 1990s about teenage Carly (Jessica Clement) and her affair with her best friend’s dad (Nick Stahl).

Joline also took home the Best Nova Scotia Director Award from Women in Film & Television – Atlantic for her work on Night Blooms, while actor Alexandra McDonald took home an ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performances for her role as Laura, Carly’s best friend, in the film. Night Blooms is now available to rent or buy on streaming platforms across Canada.

The first season of the CBC original comedy series Moonshine from showrunner Sheri Elwood and producer Charles Bishop (Six Eleven Media) was crowned the winner of the Best Television Series Award. The show tells the story of the Finley-Cullens, a dysfunctional family of half-siblings battling to take control over the family business – a ramshackle summer resort on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, with a dark family secret at its core. Season 2 will begin production in Nova Scotia this summer, with a Fall 2022 air date.

The Best Documentary Award went to Freedom Swell from Marie and Meaghan Wright (Mirror Image Media). The powerful documentary highlights North Preston Surf, a program designed to empower African Nova Scotian youth to connect with the ocean. The film explores the lack of diversity in the east coast surf scene, stemming from complex, historical barriers such as racism, segregated beaches, and generational fear of water. The film is now available to stream on CBC Gem.

Two new awards were handed out at the show, including the Groundbreaking Performance Award, which celebrates a performer who identifies as diverse and does not meet the eligibility criteria for the ACTRA awards for their work in a film or television/web series. The award recipient was determined by an online voting process, to better involve the wider community outside of the screen industry. This year’s winner was Patrick Cadegan for his performance on the comedy web series Tracy & Martina: Dirty Deeds (Swearnet).

The new award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography went to cinematographer Kevin Fraser, who was nominated for his work on feature films Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor and Bone Cage, as well as on several documentary projects.

Fourteen-year-old Avery Winters-Anthony took home an ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performances for his role as Travis in the critically-acclaimed Indigenous drama Wildhood, from Two-Spirit L’nu filmmaker Bretten Hannam. Reid Price also won an Outstanding Performances award for playing Byron in filmmaker Shelley Thompson’s debut feature film, Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor.

Baduk from writer/director Induk Lee and producer Kelsey Power (You First Productions) won the Best Short Film Award, while Beth Amiro won an Outstanding Performance award for her work in the short film Second Wedding (directed by Taylor Olson).

Digital animation was also spotlighted at the awards, with Teen Titans Go! winning Best Animated Series for the Nova Scotian animation studio Copernicus Studios. The series, now in its sixth season, airs on the Cartoon Network.

This year’s Film Crew Excellence Award went to Construction Coordinator Stephan Bernier (Art Department). A member of IATSE Local 849, Stephan has worked in film and television for over 30 years and has been a mentor to many in the industry. Stephan has been an integral part of many large-scale set builds for US service productions but also works on local projects, regardless of their size. His credits include the recent EPIX series From and Chapelwaite, and feature films The Lighthouse, Books of Blood, and Tin Can.

The 2022 Community Recognition Award went to Juanita Currie, Business Rental Area Sales Manager at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. A long-time industry supporter, Juanita is representative of a business that truly understands the value and economic impact that the film industry brings to the province.

The Screen Nova Scotia Awards were made possible this year due to the generous support of many sponsors, including our Platinum Partners at Support4Culture, the Directors Guild of Canada, the Canadian Media Producers Association, IATSE Local 849, and William F. White International Inc. Special thanks to 902 Post and the Hideout Studios.

List of award winners:

Screen Nova Scotia Awards
Best Feature Film: Night Blooms (Shut Up & Colour Pictures)

Best Television Series: Moonshine S1 (Six Eleven Media)

Best Documentary Film: Freedom Swell (Mirror Image Media)

Best Short Film: Baduk (You First Productions)

Best Animated Series: Teen Titans Go! S6 (Copernicus Studios)

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Kevin Fraser

Groundbreaking Performance: Patrick Cadegan (Tracy & Martina: Dirty Deeds)

ACTRA Maritimes Awards for Outstanding Performances
Beth Amiro (Second Wedding

Alexandra McDonald (Night Blooms)

Reid Price (Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor)

Avery Winters-Anthony (Wildhood)

Additional Awards
WIFT-AT Award for Best Director: Stephanie Joline (Night Blooms)

Film Crew Excellence Award: Stephan Bernier, Construction Coordinator

Community Recognition Award: Juanita Currie, Enterprise Holdings

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2022 Rockie Awards International Program Competition Winners announced

From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Rockie Awards International Program Competition, hosted by actress and comedian Rakhee Morzaria (Run the Burbs).

One of the largest awards programs of its kind and juried by an esteemed panel of 150 international industry professionals, the Rockie Awards International Program Competition presented awards in twenty-eight (28) categories spanning Documentary & Factual, Arts & Entertainment, Children & Youth, Scripted, and Podcast. In addition, the $25,000 Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content was awarded to the top Canadian production and The Francophone Prize for the top French-language production.

The competition featured 148 nominations from 45 countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, France, China, Germany, Italy and Norway.

International Program Competition winners include:

Best Comedy & Variety Program
Friends: The Reunion
HBO Max, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, Warner Horizon, Fulwell 73 Productions, Bright, Kauffman, Crane Productions (USA)

Best in Competition Series & Game Shows
RuPaul’s Drag Race
World of Wonder, VH1 (USA)

Best Docuseries
The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet
Studio Silverback, BBC, Discovery Channel (USA, UK)

Best Lifestyle Program
Employable Me
Thomas Howe Associations (CANADA)

Best Reality Series
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
Electus LLC, National Geographic (USA)

Best in Animation: Children
Karma’s World
Netflix, 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films, Karma’s World Entertainment (USA, CANADA, IRELAND)

Best in Animation: Preschool
ODO
Sixteen South, Letko (UK, POLAND)

Best in Animation: Youth
The Case (La custodia)
Graphilm Entertainment, Rai Ragazzi (ITALY)

Best in Interactive Content: Children
CBC Kids Tokyo 2020 Olympic Website
CBC Kids, Hypersurge (CANADA)

Best in Live Action: Children
Jamie Johnson
Short Form, BBC (UK)

Best in Live Action: Youth
Six Degrees (Six Degrés)
Encore Télévision (CANADA)

Best Arts & Culture Program
Introducing, Selma Blair
Discovery+, LD Entertainment, Liddell Entertainment (USA)

Best Crime & Investigative Program
Miracle Fishing: Kidnapped Abroad
Three-three-four, XTR, Kilometric Productions, Discovery+ (USA)

Best Environmental & Wildlife Program
Tiny World
Plimsoll Productions (UK)

Best History & Biography
Surviving 9/11
Top Hat, BBC, Keshet (UK)

Best Non-Fiction Podcast
Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Live, George the Poet (UK)

Best Science & Technology Program
Own The Room
National Geographic Documentary Film, Saville Productions (USA)

Best Short Non-Fiction Program
A Nation and Her Mother
Animiki See Digital Production Inc, Media RendezVous, Wookey Films Inc, APTN (CANADA)

Best Social Issues & Current Affairs Program
Dying to Divorce
Dying to Divorce Ltd, Aldeles, Tigerlily Productions, Freak Productions (UK, NORWAY)

Best Sports Documentary
Torn
National Geographic Documentary Films, Lightbox, Wilderpeople Productions (USA)

Best Comedy Series: English Language
We Are Lady Parts
Working Title Television, Universal International Studios, Universal Studio Group (UK)

Best Comedy Series: Non-English Language
Countrymen (Jordbrukerne)
Rubicon TV AS (NORWAY, FRANCE)

Best Drama Series: English Language
Vigil
World Productions (UK)

Best Drama Series: Non-English Language
Kamikaze
Profile Pictures, HBO Max (DENMARK, CANARY ISLANDS, SOUTH KOREA, UK)

Best Feature-Length Film
Help
The Forge, Channel 4, All3Media International (UK)

Best Limited Series
Landscapers
HBO, SISTER, South of the River Pictures, Sky Studios (USA, UK)

Best Fiction Podcast
The Orchard
Princess Pictures, Audible (AUSTRALIA)

Best Short Fiction Program
@IAmSophieScholl (@IchbinSophieScholl)
Sommerhaus Serien GmbH, VICE Media GmbH, Unframed Productions GmbH, SWR, BR (GERMANY)

Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content
Captive
Antica Productions (CANADA)

Prix Francophone (Francophone Prize)
Audrey est revenue (Audrey’s Back)
Pixcom, Quebecor Content (CANADA)

Emerging Talent Prize
Rebekah Miskin (Night Owl)

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Banff World Media Festival unveils 2022 Rockie Ward Gala recipients

From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to reveal this year’s exciting lineup of the Rockie Award Gala recipients. The in-person ceremony will take place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada on Tuesday, June 14th at 6:30pm MT.

Hosting the Festival’s flagship awards program is Jully Black, Canada’s Queen of R&B/Soul and a true Canadian icon. She has been named as one of ‘The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever’ (CBC Music) and she is a platinum selling artist and performer; a Juno, Gemini, Toronto Theatre Critics Association and Dora Mavor Moore Award recipient, a celebrated morning television host, a Canada’s Walk of Fame inductee and a television and musical stage actress of resolute faith and conviction.

Rockies Gala Awards to be bestowed include:

SIR PETER USTINOV COMEDY AWARD: Ana Gasteyer (American Auto, Saturday Night Live)
The award recognizes a creative talent who has made an outstanding comedic contribution to the media industry. Past honorees include: Kenan Thompson, Sean Hayes, John Cleese, Tracey Ullman, Bob Newhart, Tantoo Cardinal, John Candy and Bill Hader.

INCLUSION AWARD: Vivica A. Fox (Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2, Empire)
Presented by A+E, the Inclusion Award recognizes an individual whose efforts and vision in media champion and reflect the diversity of the world in which we live. Past Honorees include: Danielle Brooks, LeVar Burton, Jonathan Murray and Elizabeth Vargas.

Jean-Marc Vallée will be posthumously awarded the CANADIAN AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Presented by the Canada Media Fund (CMF/FMC) and MadeNous, the award is given to a Canadian whose body of work exemplifies outstanding achievement in the entertainment industry. Past Honorees include: Simu Liu, Eric McCormack, Kim Cattrall and Sheila Hockin.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCER AWARD: Eagle Vision
Presented by Lionsgate, the Innovative Producer Award recognizes the entrepreneurial excellence and achievements of an independent producer in TV/digital media. Past honorees include: Sinking Ship Entertainment, Wattpad Studios, Scott Brothers Entertainment, New Metric Media, Wolf + Rabbit, Don Carmody and marblemedia.

CREATIVE VOICE AWARD: Rose Matafeo (Starstruck, Funny Girls)
The creative voice award is bestowed on an executive or creative talent that has created outstanding work that breaks through, inspiring and connecting global audiences.

SHOWRUNNER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson and Jonathan Lisco (Yellowjackets)
Presented by Variety, Showrunner of the Year recognizes exceptional achievement of a showrunner or writer/producer for their creative vision, overseeing from development, through pre- to post-production, and as the driving force of a series. Past honorees include: Jed Mercurio, Moira Walley-Beckett, John Ridley, Damon Lindelof, Joey Soloway and Clyde Phillips.

“We are delighted to shine a spotlight on these incredibly deserving Rockies Gala honourees who have made such a strong impact and meaningful contributions to the entertainment industry,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival. “We can’t wait to welcome these great talents to the Festival in-person to celebrate together.”

Additional awards to be presented at the ceremony include:

IMPACT AWARD: Presented by The Hollywood Reporter, this award is bestowed annually to an individual or group that has made a significant and impactful contribution to screen-based entertainment. Past honorees include: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Shore, accepting on behalf of The Good Doctor; Anthony Anderson, accepting on behalf of black-ish; and Justin Simien accepting on behalf of Dear White People.

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: The Program of the Year award is presented to an outstanding, critically acclaimed, ground-breaking, and/or highly rated program from within the last calendar year. Past recipients include: It’s a Sin, This is Us, Handmaid’s Tale, Making a Murderer and Surviving R. Kelly.

THE GRAND JURY PRIZE: The Grand Jury Prize is awarded to the highest scoring project in the Rockies Program Competition by the festival’s specially appointed Grand Jury of industry executives. Past recipients include: I May Destroy You, Fleabag, Big Little Lies, Planet Earth II and Sharp Objects.

The Banff World Media Festival is the international conference and marketplace where new business partnerships are forged and new TV, film and digital media projects are ignited. With delegates from 50+ countries, the Festival attracts the world’s top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, press and media companies. In addition, BANFF continues to deliver important fellowships and initiatives including The BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media, supported by the Government of Canada which empowers and trains Canadian women entrepreneurs to launch and grow their own sustainable businesses within the screen-based industries as well as the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, a program that jumpstarts and accelerates the careers of up to 100 Black, Indigenous and People of Colour producers and creators.

About the Rockie Awards
With a 43-year legacy, the Rockie Awards consist of the International Program Competition and Gala Awards. The International Program Competition is open to all genres and platforms including drama, non-fiction, digital, kids, youth and podcasts. Timed in the heart of awards voting season, the prestigious Banff World Media Festival competition recognizes excellence in global television and digital content. Entries from more than 40 countries compete each year, and winners are selected by an international industry jury of 150+ senior entertainment and media professionals. The Rockie Awards Gala honours outstanding talent and executives from the industry. Over the years, the prestigious Gala event has attracted some of the industry’s biggest names including Sir Laurence Olivier, Gregory Peck, Dinah Shore, Ricky Gervais, Chuck Lorre, Martin Short, James Burrows, John Cleese, Dick Wolf, Will Arnett, Christine Baranski, Sir David Attenborough, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to name a few.

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Screen Nova Scotia announces 2022 award nominees and return to in-person gala

From a media release:

Screen Nova Scotia is pleased to officially announce the nominees for the 8th annual Screen Nova Scotia Awards Gala, which will take place on Saturday, June 18th, in the Schooner Ballroom at Casino Nova Scotia. The awards recognize and celebrate the incredible talent, creativity, and passion that are the trademarks of Nova Scotia’s film, television and animation industry. This will be the first full capacity, in-person awards gala since 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic moved the event to an online format for two years.

Notable awards presented during the event include the ACTRA Maritimes Awards for Outstanding Performances, the Film Crew Excellence Award, the Women in Film & Television – Atlantic Award, the Community Recognition Award, and the Screen Nova Scotia awards for best television, film, and animation. New SNS award categories this year include the award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography and the Groundbreaking Performance Award, which includes a cash prize of $500 and will be awarded to a diverse performer who does not yet meet the eligibility criteria for the ACTRA awards for their work in a film or television/web series.

Additionally, ACTRA has updated their awards to remove categorization based on gender, type of role, and format. There are now four awards handed out from the list of twenty nominees for “Outstanding Performance,” determined by a jury of their peers.

The event will be co-hosted by a star-studded cast featuring some of Nova Scotia’s brightest talents from in front of and behind the camera. Individual tickets and group tables are on sale now via Screen Nova Scotia’s website: www.screennovascotia.com. Please note that tickets are limited and our last in-person show was a sold-out event.

The winners of the Community Recognition Award, the Film Crew Excellence Award, and the Groundbreaking Performance Award will be announced live during the event.

Best Feature Film
– 8:37 Rebirth (Rebirth Films Inc.)
– Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor (Picture Plant Inc.)
– Night Blooms (Shut Up & Colour Pictures)
– Wildhood (Rebel Road Films)

Best Documentary Film
– A New World of Hurt (Auguste Content, Clothesline Media)
– Deserted (The Lunenburg Doc Fest, Picnic Studios)
– Freedom Swell (Mirror Image Media)
– The New Human (McLean Media Enterprises, Dreamsmith Entertainment)

Best Short Film
– The Artistic Accountant (Make Your Day Productions)
– Baduk (You First Productions)
– Breakout (Blurry Logo Productions)
– Dust Bath (CUT/OFF/TAIL Pictures)

Best Television Series
– Diggstown, S3 (Waterstar Entertainment, Circle Blue Entertainment)
– Moonshine, S1 (Six Eleven Media)
– Spirit Talker S2 (Rebel Road Films, Tell Tale Productions)
– This Hour Has 22 Minutes S29 (22M Hour Productions)

Best Animated Series
– The Casagrandes (Jam Filled Entertainment)
– Dennis & Me S2 (Cartoon Conrad)
– Teen Titans Go! S6 (Copernicus Entertainment)

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography
– Kevin Fraser
– Halley Hellmich
– Paul McCurdy
– Jeff Wheaton

WIFT-AT — Best Nova Scotia Director Award:
– Stephanie Joline (Night Blooms)
– Induk Lee (Baduk)
– Christine McLean (The New Human)
– Juanita Peters (8:37 Rebirth)
– Shelley Thompson (Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor)

ACTRA Maritimes Awards for Outstanding Performances:
– Beth Amiro (Second Wedding)
– Vinessa Antoine (Diggstown S3)
– Mary-Colin Chisholm (Wildhood)
– Francine Deschepper (Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor)
– Pasha Ebrahim (8:37 Rebirth)
– Susan Kent (Diggstown S3)
– Celia Koughan (Moonshine)
– Koumbie (I Hate You)
– Calem MacDonald (Night Blooms)
– Bob Mann (Second Wedding)
– Alexandra McDonald (Night Blooms)
– Desna Michael Thomas (Wildhood)
– Taylor Olson (I Hate You)
– Reid Price (Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor)
– Jennie Raymond (Night Blooms)
– Jacob Sampson (Diggstown S3)
– Amy Trefry (8:37 Rebirth)
– Rob Wells (Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor)
– Samantha Wilson (Night Blooms)
– Avery Winters-Anthony (Wildhood)

Moonshine image courtesy of Sheri Elwood.

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