#FIRSTLOOK: 2015 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS NOMINEES UNVEILED

Laughs and celebrations were to be had this morning at TIFF Bell Lightbox as Nominees for the 2015 Canadian Screen Awards were unveiled. The Gala, now in its third edition, is set to take place early March in Toronto, airing live across Canada.

Academy CEO Helga Stephenson took the podium succinctly taking a quick moment to thank Partners including the CBC, PwC and Ritz-Calton Hotel, reflecting on a solid year for Canadian Film and Television, before Nominees in 128 categories were announced. “2014 was an exceptionally competitive year for Canadian Film, Television and Digital Media” says the former Publicist. “The Academy received a record number of Canadian Screen Awards submissions, which is a good sign for the Industry.”.

Canadian Funnywoman and this year’s Host Andrea Martin joined Stephenson on-stage before realizing she too would be a Nominee this year for her work on Working with the Engels asking jokingly, “Did I win??!”, then suggesting that she’d be schmoozing with the Media to gain votes. Just having celebrated the premiere at the venue last night for new CBC series Schitt’s Creek alongside SCTV Alumni Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy, Martin drew big laughs talking upon mentioning the Canadian Screen Awards’ Digital categories. “I just love the word ‘digital’, it makes us sound like we are working in Porn!”.

Up-and-Comers Cara Gee (Strange Empire) and Jared Keeso (19-2) were tasked with announcing Nominees, playfully mispronouncing names. “Don’t worry Academy, we got this”, they kidded, tongue-in-cheek.

Leading TV Nominees this year once again is Orphan Black with 13 nominations, while in the Film Categories, Mommy also garners 13 nominations this year. In addition to several prominent Canadian names like Tatiana Maslany, David Cronenberg and Xavier Dolan surfacing, Hollywood types like recent Golden Globe Winner and Oscar Frontrunner Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson, Ryan Reynolds and Mia Wasikowska also would be mentioned in Acting categories. A much-in-the news Seth Rogen also received a nod for his Hilarity for Charity Comedy Special.

Canadian Screen Week commences February 23, culminating in the Canadian Screen Awards on March 1, 2015, which air Sunday, March 1, 2015 live from the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts at 8:00 PM.

For a full list of Nominees, visit academy.ca.

To learn more about the Fan Zone and how to vote for your favourite Canadian Screen Star, visit fanzone.academy.ca.

Presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Martin + Stephenson:

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jan 13, 2015 at 7:52am PST

 

Gee + Keeso:

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jan 13, 2015 at 8:13am PST

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)