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Awards

WGC Screenwriting Awards 2023 finalists announced

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From a media release:

The WGC Screenwriting Awards are now in their 27th year of celebrating the very best Canadian screenwriters—the all-important talent behind the most engaging and powerful Canadian-made series, films, and shorts.

In contention for the 2023 awards are scripts from Sort Of (Jenn Engels, Kyah Green, Léa Geronimo Rondot), Fakes (Tabia Lau, David Turko), Transplant (Laura Good), The Porter (Marsha Greene), Subjects of Desire (Jennifer Holness), Brother (Clement Virgo), The Missus Downstairs “A Christmas to Misremember” (Mary Walsh, Dave Sullivan), Astrid & Lilly Save the World (Alix Markman, Veronika Paz, Betsy Van Stone, Noelle Stehman), The Guava Juice Show (Christine Mitchell, John Hazlett, Lienne Sawatsky, Dan Williams) and many others.

Please see the complete list of categories and finalists below.

The 2023 WGC Screenwriting Awards will recognize Canadian screenwriters and their scripts at a ceremony on April 24 at Koerner Hall in Toronto—the Writers Guild of Canada’s first in-person awards since 2019.

In addition to the nine categories featured, one WGC member will be awarded the prestigious Showrunner Award, a special prize previously won by Anthony Q. Farrell (Shelved, Run the Burbs, Overlord & the Underwoods), Morwyn Brebner (Coroner, Saving Hope), Emily Andras (Wynonna Earp), and others. The ceremony will be hosted by Vance Banzo, a Saulteaux/Cree comedian, actor, writer, and member of award-winning sketch comedy troupe and series, TALLBOYZ.

Save the date: The 27th annual WGC Screenwriting Awards ceremony takes place at 8:00 pm EDT on Monday, April 24, 2023 at Koerner Hall in Toronto. Tickets will go on sale soon via www.wgc.ca.

2023 WGC SCREENWRITING AWARDS FINALISTS

CHILDREN’S

Circuit Breakers, “Permanent Detention” I Story by Melody Fox, Teleplay by Melody Fox & Tim Shell

The Guava Juice Show, “Adventure 9000” I Written by Christine Mitchell
The Guava Juice Show, “Hampersands of Time” I Written by John Hazlett & Lienne Sawatsky & Dan Williams

Odd Squad, “Why Did the Chicken Cross the Dimension” I Written by Andrew De Angelis

Super Wish, “Pinatatown” I Written by Mark Steinberg

Super Wish, “Simon Says Relax” I Written by Tally Yong Knoll

COMEDY SERIES

Acting Good, “Battle in the Bush” I Written by Sonya Ballantyne

Children Ruin Everything, “Road Trips” I Written by Kurt Smeaton

Fakes, “A Cup of Ambition” I Written by Tabia Lau

Fakes, “Real G’s Move in Silence Like Lasagna” I Written by David Turko

Sort Of, “Sort of 2gethr” I Written by Jenn Engels

Sort Of, “Sort of Amsterdam” I Written by Kyah Green & Léa Geronimo Rondot

DOCUMENTARY

My Tree I Written by Jason Sherman

Subjects of Desire I Written by Jennifer Holness

Unloved: Huronia’s Forgotten Children I Written by Barri Cohen

DRAMA SERIES

Coroner, “Heartbeet” I Written by Laura Good

Moonshine, “The Three Sisters of Fate” I Written by Sheri Elwood

The Porter, “Episode 104” I Written by Marsha Greene

Pretty Hard Cases, “Dirty Laundry” I Written by Tassie Cameron

Transplant, “And So It Goes” I Written by Laura Good

FEATURE FILM

Bones of Crows I Written by Marie Clements

Brother I Written by Clement Virgo

The Swearing Jar I Written by Kate Hewlett

MOW & MINISERIES

County Line: All In I Written by James Phillips

Farmer Seeking Love I Written by Gemma Holdway

Written in the Stars I Written by David Elver

PRESCHOOL

Dino Ranch, “Wings Over Dino Ranch” I Written by Ben Joseph & Mike D’Ascenzo

Luna, Chip & Inkie: Adventure Rangers Go, “The Wildest Goose Chase” I Written by Louise Moon

Momolu and Friends, “Broken But Beautiful” I Written by Madeleine Patton

Sago Mini Friends, “Gary’s New Horn” I Written by Meghan Read

Team Zenko Go!, “Home is Where Ken’s Heart Is” I Written by Jeff Sager

SHORTS

Junior’s Giant I Written by Debra McGrath

The Missus Downstairs “A Christmas to Misremember” I Written by Mary Walsh & Dave Sullivan

Second Life I Written by Darrin Rose

True Dating Stories, “Salma” I Written by Nour Hadidi

True Dating Stories, “Vanessa “Vanjie” Mateao” I Written by Kayla Lorette

TWEENS & TEENS

Astrid & Lilly Save the World, “DoppelKopfel” I Written by Alix Markman

Astrid & Lilly Save the World, “One Rib” I Written by Veronika Paz

Astrid & Lilly Save the World, “Tontoom” I Written by Written by Betsy Van Stone & Noelle Stehman

The Hardy Boys, “A Midnight Scare” I Written by Laura Seaton & Heather Taylor

Holly Hobbie, “The Accidental Activist” I Written by Courtney Walker

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Awards, Featured

Tim Rozon, Ayisha Issa, Kaniehtiio Horn and Tallboyz win during Night 4 of the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards

Wynonna Earp‘s Tim Rozon, Transplant‘s Ayisha Issa, Letterkenny’s Kaniehtiio Horn and Tallboyz were among the individuals and projects to win during Night 4 of 2022 Canadian Screen Awards Online Presentations.

The first portion of the live streaming celebration focused on Drama & Comedy Crafts categories hosted by Akiel Julien, followed by the Scripted Programs & Performance categories hosted by Ennis Esmer.

Here are the winners in Thursday’s key categories:

Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy
Tallboyz, “You’re the Dads Now”

Best Writing, Comedy
Bilal Baig, Fab Filippo, Sort Of, “Sort of Gone”

Best Writing, Drama Series
Joseph Kay, Transplant, “Free For What”

Best Writing, TV Movie
Barbara Nance, I Was Lorena Bobbit

Best Guest Performance, Drama Series
Tamara Podemski, Coroner, “Spirits”

Ayisha Issa (left), Transplant

Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Ayisha Issa, Transplant

Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Tim Rozon, Wynonna Earp

Best Lead Actress, TV Movie
Samora Smallwood, Death She Wrote

Best Lead Actor, TV Movie
Luke Humphrey, I Was Lorena Bobbitt

Best TV Movie
I Was Lorena Bobbitt

Best Guest Performance, Comedy
Michael Bublé, Jann, “No Drama”

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Andrew Phung, Kim’s Convenience

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Kaniehtiio Horn, Letterkenny

Best Performance, Sketch Comedy (Individual or Ensemble)
Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, Franco Nguyen, Tallboyz

Best Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Tallboyz

For the complete list of winners, visit the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television website.

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Awards

The Canadian Academy announces the return of the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards on CBC

From a media release:

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) announced today the return of the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards show, which will broadcast on CBC and CBC Gem on Sunday, April 10 at 8:00 PM (9:00 PM AT / 9:30 PM NT), and the continuation of virtual events for the remainder of Canadian Screen Week 2022, taking place from Monday, April 4, 2022, to Sunday, April 10, 2022. The nominees for the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00 AM ET.

For the past ten years, the Canadian Screen Awards have brought together Canada’s best and brightest film, television, and digital media talents to honour achievements in their crafts, and the 2022 edition is sure to be the most exciting and innovative yet. Featuring a selection of prominent categories and tributes to this year’s Special Award recipients, the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards broadcast show will be a star-powered, creatively curated treat for fans of our homegrown entertainment, highlighting Canadian content and its notable moments that made us laugh, cry, and reflect over the past year.

In collaboration with powerhouse creative producers Makers, the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards broadcast show will be an hour-long pre-taped studio production featuring the talents of the multi-award-winning sketch comedy troupe TallBoyz (Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, and Franco Nguyen). This promises to be an award show like you’ve never seen before: a true celebration of all things Canadian entertainment, with an eclectic variety of artists coming together for the love of storytelling and a deep appreciation for the power of our film, television, and digital media and everyone who enjoys it.

In an effort to prioritize the health and safety of all nominees, attendees, and Canadian Academy staff, the remainder of the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards will be presented virtually during Canadian Screen Week 2022 due to pandemic-related uncertainties. Split by genre, each of these nine virtual shows will feature a host and live acceptance speeches, allowing us to once again hear directly from the week’s big winners. Nominees and their peers are encouraged to tune in online via Academy.ca livestream — as well as the Canadian Academy Twitter and YouTube channels — to celebrate the momentous accomplishments of our Canadian creators from Monday, April 4, 2022 through Friday, April 8, 2022.

The full schedule for the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards is as follows:

Monday, April 4
7:00 PM ET – The Broadcast News Awards

8:30 PM ET – The Documentary & Factual Awards

Tuesday, April 5
7:00 PM ET – The Sports Programming Awards, presented by CTV

8:30 PM ET – The Digital & Immersive Awards

Wednesday, April 6
7:00 PM ET – The Children’s & Animation Awards, presented by Shaw Rocket Fund, supported by 9 Story Media Group

8:30 PM ET – The Lifestyle & Reality Awards, presented by CTV

Thursday, April 7
7:00 PM ET – The Drama & Comedy Crafts Awards

8:30 PM ET – The Scripted Programs & Performance Awards, presented by CTV

Friday, April 8
8:30 PM ET – The Cinematic Arts Awards, presented by Telefilm Canada, supported by Cineplex

Sunday, April 10
8:00 PM (9:00 PM AT / 9:30 PM NT) – 2022 Canadian Screen Awards on CBC and CBC Gem

Tallboyz image courtesy of George Pimentel.

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Coroner, Featured, Industry News, Pretty Hard Cases, Still Standing, Tallboyz, The Porter, Workin' Moms

CBC announces winter premiere dates

From a media release:

CBC today announced broadcast and streaming premiere dates for its winter 2022 slate of programming, including over 20 new and returning original series from Canadian creators, producers and storytellers across all genres. The new winter primetime schedule launches Sunday, January 2 on CBC TV and the free CBC Gem streaming service.

WINTER 2022 SCHEDULE – CBC TV & CBC GEM:

All following times local with the exception of Newfoundland, please add half an hour to all times.

MONDAYS
7:30PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA

8PM – MURDOCH MYSTERIES; Season 15 continues January 3

9PM – THE PORTER premieres February 21

TUESDAYS
8PM – THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES; Season 29 continues January 4

8:30PM – SON OF A CRITCH premieres January 4

9PM – WORKIN’ MOMS returns for Season 6 on January 4

9:30PM – The TALLBOYZ are back for a third season on January 25,

WEDNESDAYS
8PM – STILL STANDING returns for Season 7 on January 5

8:30PM – RUN THE BURBS premieres January 5

9PM – PRETTY HARD CASES returns for Season 2 on January 5

THURSDAYS
8PM – CORONER Season 4 premieres January 6

9PM – THE FIFTH ESTATE continues January 6

FRIDAYS
8PM – MARKETPLACE continues on January 7

8:30PM – ARCTIC VETS returns for a second season on January 7

9PM – THE NATURE OF THINGS continues on January 7

CBC GEM ORIGINAL SERIES:

Hosted by Madison Tevlin, WHO DO YOU THINK I AM? begins streaming Friday, January 7, featuring Maddie as she chats with guests one-on-one and connects with people who, like herself, are often misinterpreted and misperceived.

TRUE DATING STORIES returns with Season 3 on Friday, January 28. Whether it’s true romance or a night gone horribly wrong, this series offers the greatest real dating stories ever told, reenacted by performers with all the drama, romance and comedy they deserve.

BEST IN MINIATURE is a unique competition series premiering Friday, February 11. Hosted by Aba Amuquandoh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), the show follows 11 competitors from around the world as they build their dream homes in miniature form.

CBC SPORTS:

As Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic Network, CBC will provide the compelling coverage and award-winning storytelling that audiences have come to expect, leading up to, during and after the OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES BEIJING 2022 (February 4 – 20) and PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES (March 4 – 13). In addition to Olympic coverage, CBC SPORTS will continue to keep Canadians connected to the world of high-performance sport through weekly staple ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES, available on CBC TV and CBC Gem, as well as live streams of key competitions on cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app. Upcoming events include: The Alpine Skiing World Cup, kicking off this weekend in Lake Louise; and the Canadian National Figure Skating Championships in January where Canada’s Olympic Team will be determined.

CBC KIDS:

Hosted by musician Melanie Doane and premiering Saturday, January 8, new original series UKULELE U encourages young viewers at home to sing, move, and learn along with a cast of kids known as the UKE TROUPE.

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Featured, Tallboyz

Tallboyz II Men take on television with Bruce McCulloch in their corner

You couldn’t ask for a better person to mentor a group of sketch comedians than Bruce McCulloch. That’s what’s happened to Toronto’s Tallboyz II Men, who have gone from becoming a troupe to starring in their own television series in just three years.

Tallboyz—debuting Tuesday at 9 p.m. on CBC—stars Tim Blair, Vance Banzo, Franco Nguyen and Guled Abdi, who formed a sketch alliance after meeting in the city’s comedy scene. Collectively, their credits include Outstanding Comedy Short at 2018 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, appearances at JFL42, Comedy Brawl, CBC Radio, NOW Magazine and The Colin Mochrie Improvisation Award. Banzo was enrolled in Humber College‘s Comedy Writing and Performance program when he caught McCullogh’s eye.

“I thought, Wow, this guy’s amazing,’ and I actually brought him in on a writing room I was doing for a couple of days,” series executive producer and director McCulloch recalls. “Then he told me he had a troupe. I saw them and I thought, ‘Wow.’ They were super unformed, but they had what they have on the show, a kind of elegance, warmth and just a natural sense of humour. And I was like, ‘Yeah, we should do a show.'”

That warmth shines through in Episode 1’s first minutes, while the quartet is chased down a Toronto street by transit guards. I wanted to learn more about them and see the characters they’d invented. I was immediately drawn in by their twisty take on boy bands and body shaming, sex-ed classes, and a quiz show hosted by Banzo (that one had me laughing and shaking my head in shame). But as effortless as the writing and performances seem on-screen, it’s been a massive learning curve for Tallboyz II Men to write for television.

“I remember just being a deer in headlights,” Abdi says. “The first couple of weeks I was just nodding and being like, ‘I hope no one notices that I am lost.’ It went from being the four of us writing together at our own pace and being very comfortable with each other to a room where all of a sudden the numbers doubled. We had eight people in the room and people who had 15 plus years of comedy experience.”

McCulloch says that, when the writing room started, the troupe had amassed perhaps a dozen sketches written mostly by improv. Six months later, they had 100. One, about a sleepwalker, is particularly memorable for Abdi because he was injured filming it.

“I was keeping my eyes as close to shut as possible, just enough to see where my feet were,” he says. “I could just see, like, maybe a foot in front of me. The take that made it in is one where it was the eighth time doing it. I really committed and put too much energy into the flip and then landed on my side and being like, ‘Aw, that hurt.’ Then I had to play it off and get up immediately and get out of the scene.

Tallboyz airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

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