All posts by Greg David

Prior to becoming a television critic and owner of TV, Eh?, Greg David was a critic for TV Guide Canada, the country's most trusted source for TV news. He has interviewed television actors, actresses and behind-the-scenes folks from hundreds of television series from Canada, the U.S. and internationally. He is a podcaster, public speaker, weekly radio guest and educator, and past member of the Television Critics Association.
Awards, Baroness von Sketch Show

2020 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 2020 Rockie Awards International Program Competition. Hosted by Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor and Jennifer Whalen of the award-winning Canadian sketch comedy Baroness von Sketch Show, the virtual edition of the Rockie Awards International Program Competition was streamed live celebrating excellence in television and digital media content from around the world.

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-six (26) categories spanning Documentary & Factual, Arts & Entertainment, Children & Youth, Scripted and Podcast. In addition, special gala awards were presented including Innovative Producer Award, A+E Inclusion Award, Canadian Award of Distinction, Francophone Prize, $25,000 Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content and the Grand Jury Prize.

The competition featured 128 nominations from 35 countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, China and Switzerland.

International Program Competition winners include:

Drama Series: English Language
Gentleman Jack
BBC, HBO, Lookout Point
UK, USA

Comedy Series: English Language
Fleabag
all3media, BBC Three, Two Brothers Pictures
UK

Limited Series
Chernobyl
HBO, Sister, Sky Atlantic, The Mighty Mint, Word Games
Lithuania, UK, Ukraine, USA

Drama Series: Non-English Language
Giri/Haji (Duty/Shame)
BBC Two, Netflix, Sister
Japan, UK

Comedy Series: Non-English Language
Mytho
ARTE France, Netflix
France

Children & Youth Fiction Series
Hardball
ABC iview, ABC ME, Australian Children’s Foundation, Northern Pictures
Australia, UK

Lifestyle Program
Employable Me
Accessible Media Inc., all3media, Thomas Howe Associates Inc.
Canada

Comedy & Variety Program
Baroness von Sketch Show
CBC, Frantic Films
Canada

Science & Technology Program
Science Fair
Muck Media, National Geographic, Univision
USA

History & Biography Program
Free Solo
Image Nation, Itinerant Media, Little Monster Films, National Geographic, Parkes+MacDonald
USA

Docusoap & Docuseries
Who Are You Calling Fat?
BBC, Love Productions
UK

Sci-Fi & Genre-Based Series
His Dark Materials
Bad Wolf, BBC, HBO
Canada, UK, USA

Podcast of the Year
This Sounds Serious
Castbox, Kelly&Kelly
Canada, USA

Innovative Producer Award
Winner: Wattpad Studios
The Innovative Producer Award recognizes the entrepreneurial excellence and achievements of an independent producer in TV/digital media.

A+ E Inclusion Award
Winner: Niecy Nash
The A+E Inclusion Award is presented in recognition of visionary work in media that champions and reflects the diversity of the world in which we live.

Canadian Award of Distinction
Winner: Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor, Jennifer Whalen & Meredith MacNeill of Baroness von Sketch Show
For the first time, this year the award is presented to a group whose body of work exemplifies outstanding achievement in the entertainment industry.

Francophone Prize
Winner: MAMMOUTH 2019
The Francophone Prize is awarded to the jury’s highest-scoring French-language video submission.

Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content
Winner: Baroness von Sketch Show 
The $25,000 Rogers Prize is awarded to the highest-scoring Canadian program or property in the Rockies International Program Competition across two rounds of independent jury review.

Grand Jury Prize 
Winner: Fleabag
The Grand Jury Prize recognizes the “best in show” from all Rockies International Program Competition winning entries.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Nish Media’s documentary series Skindigenous sold to PBS & international broadcasters

From a media release:

The documentary series Skindigenous, which airs on APTN, the Aboriginal People’s Television Network, has been licensed by PBS. The 13-episode x 26-minute series, which explores Indigenous tattooing traditions around the world, is produced by Gatineau’s Nish Media and is internationally represented by Filmoption International Inc. Skindigenous has been selected as an official 2020 Rockie Awards nominee in the Arts & Entertainment: Arts & Music category. The Rockie Awards will be streaming live today (June 15) at 3pm EDT on Youtube.

Season 1 of Skindigenous has been purchased by networks around the world: NITV (SBS) in Australia, RSI Switzerland and MAORI TV in New Zealand. UR Sweden and USHUAIA in France has purchased both seasons of the series.

Season 2 of the series is currently airing on APTN in both English and Dene until July 15, 2020. Season 3 is currently in production.

Skindigenous is a 13-part documentary series exploring Indigenous tattooing traditions around the world. Each episode dives into a unique Indigenous culture to discover the tools and techniques, the symbols and traditions that shape their tattooing art. In this series, the art of tattoo becomes a lens for exploring some of the planet’s oldest cultures and their unique perspectives on life, identity, and the natural world.

About Nish Media
The series is produced by Nish Media, a multi-award-winning production company based in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. Over the past years, producer Jason Brennan has produced over 220 hours of television for various networks such as APTN, CBC, Radio-Canada, Ici ArtTV, Canal D, TV5 and CBC Docs, including Mouki, Wapikoni, La Fosse aux tigres and seven seasons of Hit The Ice, nominated in prestigious television festivals including the Banff World Media Festival and Italy’s FICTS. Its first feature film, Le Dep, was selected to play in several film festivals including the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, the Vancouver Film Festival, the Raindance Film Festival, ImagineNative and the American Indian Film Festival. Filmmaker Sonia Bonspille Boileau’s new feature film, Rustic Oracle was presented in several festivals over the last few months. Nish Media currently has several TV projects in the works, including Season 3 of Skindigenous, the dramatic miniseries Pour toi Flora as well as the documentary Non réclamé. 

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Awards

Toronto Screenwriting Conference announces 2020 Magee TV Diverse Screenwriters Award winners

From a media release:

The Toronto Screenwriting Conference (TSC) has announced the five winners of the fourth annual Magee TV Diverse Screenwriters Award, a mentorship and bursary program created to support emerging and mid-level screenwriters from diverse backgrounds through mentorship, networking with Canadian television professionals, and exposure to leaders in the field of screen-based writing.

To achieve this objective, each of the five winners — Nisha Khan (HONEY), Cheyenne Lynn (HOWL), Kiley May (DISCLOSURE), Clint Murphy (THE ROAD HOME), and Julia Skikavich (SURVIVORS B.S) — will receive a complimentary registration for the 2021 Toronto Screenwriting Conference, and a complimentary digital download of Final Draft, the TSC’s official screenwriting software. The winners will also join veteran Canadian producer/writer Al Magee (founder of Magee TV) for several networking events, with each receiving a one-on-one three-month mentorship with senior Canadian screenwriting professionals Alejandro Alcoba, Noelle Carbone, Marsha Greene, Duana Taha, and Eva Thomas.

The 2020 Magee TV Diverse Screenwriters Award winners were chosen based on submissions that included the following four criteria: one concept for an original series or feature film, one writing sample, a letter of interest and intent, and a letter of reference.

The TSC and Magee TV extend their congratulations to this year’s five finalists: Nneka Eleh (MAPLE HIGH), Anthony Faria (BRAND NEW SPECIES), Keisha Prince (BEING KEISHA), Alix Markman (REVENANT), and Anthony Tran (GAYSIANS).
Photos

The Toronto Screenwriting Conference (TSC) is an annual two-day weekend event of networking, masterclasses, workshops, and panels from the entertainment industry’s top professionals. The TSC hosts over 450 professional screenwriters, showrunners, producers, and creative executives working in television, film, and digital media. Over the past decade, the TSC has become an established conference for working creative talent to hone their craft, network with fellow writers and producers, and get noticed through our awards, mentorships, and bursaries which serve to nurture emerging to mid-career talent.

Magee TV: Toronto-based production company Magee TV has dedicated years of commitment to innovation in lifestyle, half hour scripted comedy, new documentary and docu-soap formats for the specialty channels. The company’s process is guided by three key core values: Authenticity, Relevance and Spectacle. Magee TV’s work is authentic to its subject matter and produced with integrity, relevance, and an eye toward spectacle to make sure it sparkles.

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Mohawk Girls

Award-winning Mohawk Girls to broadcast on CBC beginning June 16

From a media release:

Season 1 of the critically acclaimed, award-winning and much-loved Rezolution Pictures TV series Mohawk Girls  will begin broadcasting on CBC TV on Tuesday, June 16 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT), as part of CBC’s Tuesday night comedy lineup. Following its run, Season 2 will launch Tuesday, August 4 on CBC and CBC Gem, and Seasons 3-5 will be available this fall on the free CBC Gem streaming service. Season 1 is available now on CBC Gem.

Over the course of its 4-year / 5-season run Mohawk Girls  was nominated for multiple Canadian Screen Awards including Best Comedy Series, Best Direction in a Comedy Series, Best Writing in a Comedy Series, and Best Actress in a Comedy Series. The dramedy series that originally aired on APTN from 2014-2017 was embraced by fans across the country, lauded by TV critics, and garnered a devout and diverse following who enthusiastically awaited the start of each season.

Mohawk Girls takes a comedic look at the lives of four modern-day women trying to stay true to their roots while navigating sex, work, love and what it means to be Mohawk in the 21st century. The half-hour dramedy follows these twenty-something women as they begin to forge their own identity within a community embedded with rules and cultural traditions.

The dynamic cast of four leading women includes Jenny Pudavick (Bailey), Brittany LeBorgne (Zoe), Heather White (Caitlin), and Maika Harper (Anna), as well as Canadian film & TV veterans Tantoo Cardinal as Zoe’s mother and Glen Gould as Bailey’s father.

Mohawk Girls was created and executive produced by Tracey Deer and Cynthia Knight; Tracey Deer directed the episodes and Cynthia Knight was the head writer and showrunner. The series was produced by Rezolution Pictures’ Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon and Linda Ludwick, and executive produced by Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon, Linda Ludwick and Ernest Webb.

“We are so thrilled to have CBC air our show! We wanted to create a show that was unique, smart, relevant and empowering and we are so proud we get to relive each moment on television one more time.”
– Cynthia Knight, Series Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Head Writer/Showrunner

“This series was my love letter to my community, to my people. It was a celebration of who we are and most importantly our women. I am extremely excited that the show has found a second home on CBC.”- Tracey Deer, Series Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Director

About Rezolution Pictures
Rezolution Pictures is an award-winning production company led by Ernest Webb and Catherine Bainbridge (co-founders and executive producers), Christina Fon (Vice-President and executive producer), and Linda Ludwick (CFO and executive producer). Rezolution is best known for its original and trailblazing productions such as feature documentaries RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World, which screened worldwide and won multiple awards at Sundance, Hot Docs, and the Canadian Screen Awards, among others; and Reel Injun, which won multiple Geminis, and a Peabody Award. Rezolution also made its mark in scripted television with Canadian Screen Award-nominated comedy series, Mohawk Girls, which aired for five seasons on APTN, was recently broadcast as part of Air Canada’s in-flight entertainment and will now will now be available on the CBC Gem streaming service. From ground-breaking documentaries to innovative scripted series, Rezolution has helped shape Canada’s film and television industry for the past two decades, working with many of the country’s best new and established talents to create unique content, as well as video game and Virtual Reality content through its sister company Minority Media. An effective mix of production, creative, and executive experience has positioned Rezolution for global success as it turns its focus to developing and producing premium content with international partners.

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Industry News

ET Canada Reunion Week Reunites the Casts of Five Fan-Favourite Canadian Television Series

From a media release:

With TV production currently on hold, viewers are finding nostalgic comfort with a recent surge of virtual cast reunions. Now it’s time for fans of Canadian TV shows from the 1990s and 2000s to get ready for a throwback, with a lineup of five classic shows set to reunite for audiences.

ET Canada Reunion Week is reuniting the Canuck casts of Ready or Not, Train 48, Falcon Beach, The Red Green Show and North of 60, catching up with the actors as they look back at their time working together, the cultural significance of their programs, and recealing which of these five groundbreaking series is officially working on a reboot!

Viewers looking to reminisce can watch all new episodes of ET Canada beginning on Monday June 1st, when each episode will include a reunion segment with the cast of one of Canada’s most memorable television programs.

See below for the full lineup, and catch the long-awaited get-togethers all week long on ET Canada Reunion Week, beginning Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Global.

Monday, June 1
Ready or Not
Canadians growing up in the 90s remember the iconic friendship between Busy and Amanda, as the duo navigated their way through adolescence. Series stars Lani Billard and Laura Bertram come together for the first time since the show’s end in 1997, as they discuss how reruns of their popular teen-drama series taps into a comforting nostalgia that audiences are currently looking for.

Tuesday, June 2
Train 48
Global’s unscripted soap opera series ran from 2003 to 2008, as viewers followed the lives of twelve daily commuters. The series helped launch the career of Kim’s Convenience star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee’s Allana Harkin, who join the rest of the Train 48 cast to discuss the impact the show had on Canadian television, 15 years after the series finale.

Wednesday, June 3
Falcon Beach
Filmed in the real-life town of Falcon Beach in Manitoba, the show originally premiered as a TV movie in 2006, going on to produce two seasons that aired in over 40 countries worldwide. The cast joins together for the first time since the finale, to chat about what they miss most and what it was like to film a teen drama series before the age of social media.

Thursday, June 4
The Red Green Show
One of Canada’s most beloved comedy series, The Red Green Show continues to find new audiences every year, with past episodes available for fans to enjoy on Youtube. Steve Smith and the rest of the cast reunite to discuss how the show became a part of Canadian TV history, their epic 15 season run, and how the duct tape legacy continues to live on.

Friday, June 5
North of 60
Actress Tina Keeper took on the lead role in North of 60, becoming the first Indigenous person to front a Canadian television drama series when it launched in 1992. Tom Jackson joins Keeper and the rest of the North of 60 cast as they chat about how the actors became like family, as well as the unexpected success of the show following its 1992 premiere.

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