- Schitt’s Creek wins Best Comedy Series
- Catherine O’Hara wins her fourth consecutive Canadian Screen Award, joining Emily Hampshire as the first comedic actresses to make the achievement in the history of the Canadian Academy
- A Colony | Une colonie wins Best Motion Picture
A spotlight was shone on the country’s best in film and television, as 2019 Canadian Screen Week concluded its festivities with the biggest night of celebration at the Canadian Screen Awards: Broadcast Gala. The awards show was broadcast live from Toronto’s Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service.
A total of 20 awards were presented to Canada’s best screen talent throughout the evening, with highlights including:
- Best Drama Series – Anne with an E
- Best Comedy Series – Schitt’s Creek
- Best Motion Picture – A Colony | Une colonie
- Achievement in Direction – Jasmin Mozaffari (Firecrackers)
- Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary, presented by Rogers Group of Funds – Anthropocene: The Human Epoch
- Best Reality/Competition Program or Series – The Amazing Race Canada
During the awards show, Stephan James was recognized with the inaugural Radius Award, presented by MADE | NOUS, which was presented by his brother, Shamier Anderson. The Kids in the Hall received the Academy Icon Award, presented by Eric McCormack. The Academy honoured Mary Walsh with the Earle Grey Award, presented by Jonny Harris and Susan Kent. Deepa Mehta received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dominique Provost-Chalkley was named the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award winner, presented during the live show by two past winners, CARMILLA stars Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis. 7,752,418 number of votes were cast to determine the winner of this award.
“It’s been a fantastic week embracing and celebrating homegrown talent, and their ability to engage audiences,” said Beth Janson, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “As another Canadian Screen Week comes to an end, we are proud of the unique opportunity we have to introduce incredible Canadian film and television to a broader audience. The Canadian Screen Awards puts a spotlight on the talented content creators and storytellers in our own backyard and on the world stage.”
Screen Awards Presented prior to the Live Telecast During Screen Awards Week
The Great Darkened Days | La grande noirceur Sweeps the Gala
Honouring Cinematic Arts
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television toasted Canadian film talent at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto for the Canadian Screen Awards: Gala Honouring Cinematic Arts. The Gala, hosted by Karine Vanasse, was a first for Canadian Screen Week, serving as an opportunity to highlight the achievements of this year’s nominees representing the very best in Canadian cinematic arts.
The Cinematic Arts Gala saw the film The Great Darkened Days | La grande noirceur presented with the most awards, including Sarah Gadon for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Patricia McNeil and Sylvain Dion for Achievement in Art Direction/Production Design, Patricia McNeil for Achievement in Costume Design, Sara Mishara for Achievement in Cinematography, and Frederic Cloutier for Achievement in Sound Editing. Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role went to Richard Clarkin in The Drawer Boy, Animal Behaviour won Best Animated Short, and Catherine Léger took the win for Original Screenplay for Slut in a Good Way | Charlotte a du fun. Nicholas de Pencier received the Canadian Screen Award for Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Documentary for Anthropocene: the Human Epoch.
The Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute was awarded to Kevin Tierney (posthumously) and Roman Bittman (posthumously), while Geneviève Dulude-De Celles received the John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award for A Colony | Une colonie, which included a $25,000 prize.
“This year, we wanted to emphasize the important contributions of our film community by giving the nominees a more elevated experience,” said Beth Janson, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “Artistic, cinematic storytelling is a vital part of our industry, and we were happy to be able to bring together our French and English filmmakers to celebrate their combined achievements in the medium this year.”
The Gala event was livestreamed with the support of Telefilm Canada.
The Best in Digital Storytelling Honoured During 2019 Canadian Screen Week
The 2019 Canadian Screen Week continued at Toronto’s Globe and Mail Centre with the Canadian Screen Awards: Gala Honouring Digital Storytelling, which streamed live on the free CBC Gem streaming service. Featuring original content from CBC Comedy’s “Bit Playas”, 13 Canadian Screen Awards were presented as well as highlighting the many innovative digital technologies Canadians are using to expand the storytelling experience.
The Gala recognized Canadian content makers who are at the forefront of the screen industry in a number of categories, including new additions:
- Jayne Eastwood (The Writers’ Block) for Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series
- Mark Little (Gary and His Demons – Guy On The Tiger) for Best Writing, Web Program or Series
- David Brady, Jonathon Corbiere, Andrew MacDonald, Tristan Cezair, Tyler Sammy, Nick Counter (A Curious Mind with Dominic Monaghan) for Best Immersive Experience – Non-Fiction
- Lisa Jackson, Mathew Borrett, Rob McLaughlin, Dana Dansereau (Biidaaban: First Light) for Best Immersive Experience – Fiction
- Paloma Dawkins, Maral Mohammadian, Michael Fukushima (Museum of Symmetry) for Best Virtual Reality Game
“Canadian film and television makers continue to advance the digital medium to tell their stories in totally unique and immersive ways. With Canada being such a diverse place with so many incredible stories to tell, it’s vital to recognize their contributions,” said Beth Janson, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
Cardinal: Blackfly Season Sweeps Limited Series Category at Canadian Screen Awards: The CTV Gala Honouring Creative Fiction Storytelling
CTV series JANN, Jann Arden hosted the Canadian Screen Awards: The CTV Gala Honouring Creative Fiction Storytelling tonight at Heritage Court, Exhibition Place in Toronto and streamed on CTV.ca. The Gala recognized Canada’s best in creative fiction with CTV’s Cardinal: Blackfly Season winning Best Limited Series or Program and collecting four more awards. Taking home a win for Best Supporting Actor, Drama was R.H. Thomson, and Best Supporting Actress, Drama was won by Geraldine James both for CBC’s Anne with an E. CBC’s Schitt’s Creek received the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting or Guest Actor, Comedy for Noah Reid; and Best Supporting or Guest Actress, Comedy went to Emily Hampshire.
Other notable category wins include:
- Best Writing:
- Best Writing, Drama Series, sponsored by BBC Studios – Michael Konyves (Bad Blood – Who Are You?)
- Best Writing, Drama Program or Limited Series – Sarah Dodd (Cardinal: Blackfly Season – Red)
- Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy – Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, Jennifer Whalen, Jennifer Goodhue, Monica Heisey (Baroness von Sketch Show – Is that You Karen?)
- Best Writing, Children’s or Youth – Mark De Angelis, Leah Gotcsik (Odd Squad – Where There’s a Wolf, There’s a Way / New Jacket Required)
- Bets Writing, Animation – Brent Butt (Corner Gas Animated – Squatch Your Language)
- Best Direction, Drama Series, sponsored by Playback – Norma Bailey (Mary Kills People – Ride or Die)
- Best Direction, Drama Program or Limited Series, sponsored by New Metric Media – Jeff Renfroe (Cardinal: Blackfly Season)
- Best Direction, Comedy, sponsored by Cinespace Film Studios – Jacob Tierney (Letterkenny – Bock et Biche)
- Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy – Jordan Canning, Jeremy LaLonde (Baroness von Sketch Show – Is that you Karen?)
- Best Direction, Children’s or Youth – J.J. Johnson (Odd Squad – World Turned Odd – Part 1)
- Best Direction, Animation – Robin Budd (Hotel Transylvania: The Series – A Few Good Monsters)
- Best Picture Editing, Drama – Matthew Anas (Cardinal: Blackfly Season)
- Best Picture Editing, Comedy – Mike Fly, Marianna Khoury, Jeremy LaLonde, Stephen Withrow (Baroness von Sketch Show – Is that you Karen?)
Eric McCormack presented producer and screenwriter Brad Wright with the Margaret Collier Award and Martin Katz and Lisa Meeches presented Carole Vivier, CEO & Film Commissioner for Manitoba Film & Music, with the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute.
“As we saw tonight, Canada has an incredible pool of talent, and it’s important to recognize these storytellers and promote the content they have crafted,” said Beth Janson, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “These creators have a distinct ability to engage audiences with their unique voices and impactful stories, and our goal is to continue promoting growth of the film and television industry by pushing their work to an even wider audience across the country and around the globe.”
CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme and Dawna Friesen Among Top Winners at Canadian Screen Awards: The CTV Gala Honouring Non-Fiction Programming
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television kicked off 2019 Canadian Screen Week with the Canadian Screen Awards: The CTV Gala Honouring Non-Fiction Programming. Comedian Aisha Alfa (CTV’s THE BEAVERTON) hosted the Gala, which was held at Heritage Court, Exhibition Place in Toronto and streamed on CTV.ca.
The television and film industry’s finest left the Gala with several accolades, including James Duthie (Best Sports Host, sponsored by MLSE); TSN’s Reborn – Basketball & Reconciliation in Rwanda (Best Sports Program or Series); CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme (Best National Newscast); Dawna Friesen (Best News Anchor, National); Adrienne Arsenault (Best Host or Interviewer in a News or Information Program or Series); HGTV’s Property Brothers (Best Lifestyle Program or Series, sponsored by Corus Entertainment); The JUNO Awards (Best Live Entertainment Special); and TVOKids’ Science Max: Experiments at Large (Best Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series).
Niobe Thompson and Caroline Underwood won the Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series for Equus: Story of the Horse, receiving $25,000 in addition to being honoured with the Canadian Screen Award.
Producer and visual researcher Elizabeth Klinck received the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute.
“Tonight’s award Gala honoured our Sports, News, Documentary, Factual, Talk and Reality programming – this important work is the some of the most-watched in our country. We are proud to be able to celebrate the accomplishments of this diverse group of professionals,” said Beth Janson, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
About the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is the largest non-profit professional arts organization in Canada. They are dedicated to recognizing, advocating for, and celebrating Canadian talent in the film, television, and digital media sectors.
More than 4,500 members encompass industry icons and professionals, emerging artists, and students. Collectively, the Academy delivers professional development programs and networking opportunities that foster industry growth, inclusion, and mentorship.
