From a media release:
PAUL GROSS TO RECEIVE NBC UNIVERSAL CANADA AWARD OF DISTINCTION AT 2009 BANFF WORLD TELEVISION FESTIVAL
Paul Gross will receive the NBC Universal Canada Award of Distinction at the 30th edition of the Banff World Television Festival, which takes place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Canada, June 7-10, 2009. The NBC Universal Canada Award of Distinction acknowledges an individual’s outstanding career in the broadcast industry. The award will be presented to Paul Gross on Monday, June 8th at the Banff World Television Awards Luncheon.
“It is with great pleasure that we present the NBC Universal Award of Distinction to Paul Gross,” says Ron Suter, Executive Vice President, NBC Universal Television Distribution, Canada. “Paul is one of the most renowned actors, writers and directors in Canada, and his distinguished career is a leading example of what this award was created to celebrate.”
Recognized as one of Canada’s most popular actors, Gross became internationally known for his Gemini Award-winning role as Constable Benton Fraser on the drama “Due South”. He also received two Gemini Awards for his portrayal of Geoffrey Tenant in the critically acclaimed series “Slings & Arrows”. He was awarded the Golden Nymph for Best Actor in a miniseries for “H2O” at the Monte Carlo International Television Festival in June 2005.
In 2000, Gross wrote, directed and starred in the feature film “Men with Brooms”, which broke box office records in English Canada. Most recently Gross released his feature film “Passchendaele”, a movie based on the famous World War I battle heroically fought by 50,000 Canadians in the bloodied fields of Ypres, Belgium. “Passchendaele†was the highest grossing Canadian film of 2008.
On stage, Gross performed the title role in the Stratford Festival’s 2000 production of “Hamlet” to record-setting audiences. Paul and his partner Frank Siracusa run one of the country’s most successful film and television production companies, Whizbang Films.
“As an actor, writer and director, Paul has carved an undeniable mark on the television and film industry in Canada,” says Peter Vamos, Executive Director of BANFF, “this award is a great way to acknowledge his contributions and multitude of talents.”
