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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television

WGC Screenwriting Awards 2022 winners announced

From a media release:

In a funny, lively virtual ceremony held this evening, host Nile Séguin announced the winners of the 26th annual Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards.

Some winners of 2022’s top prizes include Bilal Baig & Fab Filippo (Sort Of), Michael McGowan (All My Puny Sorrows), Tassie Cameron & Sherry White (Pretty Hard Cases), and Amanda Joy (The Parker Andersons I Amelia Parker).

Special awards were also presented to Carolyn Saunders, winner of the Sondra Kelly Award, and Matt Huether, who was awarded the Alex Barris Mentorship Award. Anthony Q. Farrell, creator and showrunner of Overlord and the Underwoods and The Parker Andersons I Amelia Parker, received the night’s final prize, the Showrunner Award. The Denis McGrath Award for Service to the WGC was also presented to Michael Amo, who has served the Guild for the past 12 years as a member of Council, representing the Atlantic region.

Please see below for the complete list of winning scripts and screenwriters.

The 27th Annual WGC Screenwriting Awards are now being planned and hopefully, we will be celebrating live once again. In the meantime, 2022’s presentation will be posted to the WGC YouTube Channel.

A digital program, listing all nominations, nominees and special awards winners, is also available here for download.

2022 WGC SCREENWRITING AWARDS WINNERS

CHILDREN’S
Odd Squad Mobile Unit, “H2 Oh No” I Written by Lakna Edilima

COMEDY SERIES
Sort Of, “Sort of Gone” I Written by Bilal Baig & Fab Filippo

DRAMA SERIES
Pretty Hard Cases, “Bananas” I Written by Tassie Cameron & Sherry White

FEATURE FILM
All My Puny Sorrows I Written by Michael McGowan

MOW & MINISERIES
As Gouda As It Gets I Written by James Phillips

PRESCHOOL
Elinor Wonders Why, “Olive’s Tree” I Written by Michael Foulke

SHORTS & WEBSERIES
My Pride: The Series “Fire” I Written by Maddi Patton

TWEENS & TEENS
The Parker Andersons I Amelia Parker, “Joy” I Written by Amanda Joy

SONDRA KELLY AWARD
Carolyn Saunders

ALEX BARRIS MENTORSHIP AWARD
Matt Huether

DENIS MCGRATH AWARD FOR SERVICE TO THE WGC
Michael Amo

SHOWRUNNER AWARD
Anthony Q. Farrell

ABOUT THE WGC
The Writers Guild of Canada represents more than 2,500 professional English-language screenwriters across Canada, the creators of Canadian entertainment enjoyed on all screens. WGC.ca @WGCtweet

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TV, Eh? Podcast Episode 244: Production begins on Crave’s Little Bird, The Kids in the Hall return and post CSAs recap

This week, Greg and Amy go through debuts and returns on the Canadian TV calendar. Then, we cover a bunch of Canadian TV news, including production kicking off on Little Bird, The Kids in the Hall returning with new episodes, Bell Media teaming up with all-Black executive production team to develop Canada’s first Black-focused bilingual anthology series Festivale, and the death of Paul Pope.

We close out by discussing the Canadian Screen Awards gala by reviewing the top TV categories.

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Discovery’s all-new Canadian original docuseries Pets & Pickers serves up heartwarming ‘tails,’ beginning May 12

From a media release:

Discovery takes viewers on an uplifting mission to help animals in need with the all-new Canadian original series PETS & PICKERS, premiering Thursday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery. Joining an all-new Thursday night lineup which includes the debut of PIG ROYALTY at 8 p.m. ET and Season 2 of LOUISIANA LAW 10 p.m. ET, the eight-episode, docuseries follows a one-of-a-kind animal hospital, the story of animals, their owners, and the special team of veterinarians who care for them.

Motivated by extraordinary compassion and a singular belief that all animals deserve treatment, this heartfelt series reveals how the Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS) Animal Hospital works tirelessly to offer low-income pet families access to top healthcare. To fund these treatments, RAPS has a unique solution: their thrift store. An energetic and dedicated group of animal loving “pickers” comb through donated mystery bins containing abandoned storage locker items, all money raised goes to pay for vet care and lifesaving surgeries. It’s a one-of-a-kind “pets and pickers” relationship with an uplifting mission: to help animals and their people.

New episodes of PETS & PICKERS are available to stream each week on CTV.ca and the CTV App.

In Episode 1 of PETS & PICKERS, entitled “Pets, Pickers & Problems,” Dexter the dog has breathing problems so serious, worried owner Michelle travels hours in hopes that RAPS can help pay for urgent surgery. The dedicated team of pickers, counting on abandoned storage locker goods, gets an unfortunate surprise. Meanwhile, Halo the Chihuahua discovers more than exercise in the local dog park.

Led by Executive Director Eyal Lichtman, the kind-hearted and innovative team at RAPS includes: long-time animal lover, Dr. Regan Schwartz; small animal specialist and Vets Without Borders volunteer, Dr. Alex Maldonado (Dr. Alex); feral animal care professional, Dr. Joseph Martinez; the patriarch and leading exotic animal veterinarian, Dr. Satveer Dadrwal (Dr. Satveer); RAPS’ lead veterinarian and the go-to surgeon, Dr. Marius Vasilescu, aka “Dr. V”; and RAPS’ community social services specialist, Dr. Victoria Cruz-Mendez (Dr. Cruz-Mendez). The animal-loving team of pickers includes thrift store manager, Karen Kamachi, as well as expert picker, Marty Kramer, who work together to bring in donations, and find buyers to help people and pets in-need. To find out more about RAPS, visit their website at www.rapsbc.com.

PETS & PICKERS was created and produced by Tyson Media in association with Bell Media for Discovery, with the participation of The Bell Fund. Tyson Hepburn is Executive Producer and Showrunner. Kelly McClughgan is Series Producer, and Andrew Vacheresse is Director.

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The puck drops on Crave original series Shoresy, May 13

From a media release:

Crave announced today the highly anticipated debut of SHORESY streams Friday, May 13. Created by and starring Jared Keeso, the six-episode, half-hour hockey comedy sees the foul-mouthed, chirp-serving, mother-loving, fan favourite character, Shoresy (Keeso), join the Sudbury Bulldogs of the Northern Ontario Senior Hockey Organization (The NOSHO) on a quest to never lose again.

Two new episodes of the LETTERKENNY spin-off rollout every Friday, exclusively on Crave. In the series debut, “Never Lose Again,” Shoresy tries to prevent his team from folding. The next episode, “Veteran Presence,” follows Shoresy and his new recruits attending a mixer at Nat’s, the General Manager of the Sudbury Bulldogs.

Click here for an NSFW preview.

Season 1 of SHORESY was shot on location in Sudbury. As previously announced, Hulu will be the exclusive streaming home to the debut season of SHORESY in the U.S., joining its smash-hit predecessor, LETTERKENNY, as a Hulu Original.

Developed by Bell Media for Crave, SHORESY is produced by New Metric Media, in partnership with Play Fun Games in association with Bell Media, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund, OMDC Tax Credits, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, and is distributed by WildBrain, New Metric Media is the exclusive sales agent. Jared Keeso is executive producer, writer, star, and creator. Jacob Tierney is executive producer and director. Kaniehtiio Horn is consulting producer. Mark Montefiore and Kara Haflidson are Executive Producers for New Metric Media.

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Principal photography begins on the Crave original series, Little Bird

From a media release:

Crave announced today, in association with Rezolution Pictures, APTN, and OP Little Bird, that production is underway on the Crave Original drama series, LITTLE BIRD. Created by showrunner Jennifer Podemski (UNSETTLED) and head writer Hannah Moscovitch (X COMPANY), the six-part, one-hour limited series follows an Indigenous woman on a journey to find her birth family, and uncover the hidden truth of her past. The series will be available to audiences in English and French, and Fremantle will handle international distribution.

The character-driven drama features an extraordinary cast of Indigenous actors, led by newcomer Darla Contois (Dhaliwal ’15) along with: Ellyn Jade (LETTERKENNY); Osawa Muskwa (World Ends at Camp Z); Joshua Odjick (The Swarm); Imajyn Cardinal (TRIBAL); Mathew Strongeagle (BLACKSTONE); Eric Schweig (BLACKSTONE); and Michelle Thrush (Bones of Crows).

Award-winning filmmakers Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open) and Zoe Hopkins (Run Woman Run) each direct three episodes, while Hopkins writes three of the episodes.

LITTLE BIRD explores themes of resilience in the face of trauma and loss. Removed from her home in Long Pine Reserve in Saskatchewan, Bezhig Little Bird is adopted into a Montréal Jewish family at the age of five, becoming Esther Rosenblum (Contois). Now in her 20s, Bezhig longs for the family she lost and is willing to sacrifice everything to find them. Her quest lands her in the Canadian prairies, worlds apart from everything she knows. As she begins to track down her siblings, she unravels the mystery behind her adoption, and discovers that her apprehension was connected to a racist government policy now known as the Sixties Scoop. Bezhig’s sense of identity shatters and she is forced to reckon with who she is and who she wants to become.

The production of LITTLE BIRD features a training program that includes opportunities for emerging and mid-career level Indigenous creators and crew as well as for entry-level individuals to gain practical on-set experience leading to subsequent employment in the industry. Built with the understanding that training, skill building, and professional development are integral to building capacity and sustainability in the Indigenous screen sector, the program, is made possible via partnerships with the Indigenous Screen Office, Bell Media, REEL Canada, DGC, DGC Manitoba, and IATSE 856.

LITTLE BIRD is a co-production from Bell Media’s Crave and APTN, produced by Rezolution Pictures and OP Little Bird with the participation of the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Manitoba Film and Music. Fremantle International is the distributor for the series. Led by an Indigenous creative team, LITTLE BIRD is developed by showrunner Jennifer Podemski and Rezolution Pictures, and created by Podemski and head writer Hannah Moscovitch. The series is executive produced by Ernest Webb, Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon, Linda Ludwick (Rezolution Pictures), Kim Todd, Nicholas Hirst (Original Pictures), Jeremy Podeswa, Jennifer Podemski, and Hannah Moscovitch, along with Christian Vesper and Dante Di Loreto (Fremantle). Producers are Tanya Brunel and Jessica Dunn (OP Little Bird), Philippe Chabot (Rezolution Pictures) and Ellen Rutter.

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