#FIRSTLOOK: DOCUMENTARY, FACTUAL, LIFESTYLE, AND REALITY AWARDS PRESENTED AT 2025 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS

The 2025 Canadian Screen Award winners from The Documentary, Factual, Lifestyle, and Reality Awards, presented by Crave, were revealed on the evening of Friday, May 30, 2025 live at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto. The show was hosted by Chloe Wilde and Sonia Mangat, and presenters included Amanda Parris, Sangita Patel, and Carlos Bustamante.

The evening also celebrated John Brunton, recipient of the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute Award. His award was presented by Arisa Cox.

View all the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards winners for The Documentary, Factual, Lifestyle, and Reality Awards, presented by Crave, below:

Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal

Amazon Prime Video Canada

(Fully and Complete Productions Inc.)

Michael Downie, Jake Gold, Bryn Hughes, Kim Creelman, David Wells, Kalin Moon, Gord Sinclair, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, Don Allan

Best Sound, Documentary or Factual

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal – Part Two: On the Verge

Amazon Prime Video Canada

(Fully and Complete Productions Inc.)

Jason Perreira, Robert Sinko, Sanjay Mehta

Best Photography, Documentary or Factual

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal – Part Two: On the Verge

Amazon Prime Video Canada

(Fully and Complete Productions Inc.)

Chris Romeike

Best Picture Editing, Documentary

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal – Part Two: On the Verge

Amazon Prime Video Canada

(Fully and Complete Productions Inc.)

Peter Denes

Best History Documentary Program or Series

Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music

CBC Gem

(Pink Towel Canada Inc., Zinc Media)

Julie Bristow, Greg Sanderson, Idris Elba, Sabrina Elba, Margot Daley, Guy Evans

Best Writing, Factual

We’re All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel) – Jay-I

Crave

(90th Parallel Productions Ltd)

Stuart Henderson, Emma Kassirer, Kirk Ramsay

Best Picture Editing, Factual

Dark Side of the Ring – The Ballad of ‘Earthquake’ John Tenta

Crave

(Vice Studios Canada)

Marc Ricciardelli, Jason Cook

Best Direction, Factual

For the Culture with Amanda Parris – Diaspora Wars

CBC Gem

(CBC)

Amanda Parris, Saman Malik

Best Factual Series

Who Owns the World

TVO (TVO)

(Who Owns Productions Inc., Hawkeye Pictures)

Sonya Di Rienzo, Aeschylus Poulos

Best Web Program or Series, Non-Fiction

Here & Queer
(CBC)

Peter Knegt, Lucius Dechausay, Mercedes Grundy, Chelle Turingan

Best Host, Web Program or Series

About That with Andrew Chang

(CBC)
Andrew Chang

Barbara Sears Award for Best Visual Research

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal – Part Two: On the Verge

Amazon Prime Video Canada

(Fully and Complete Productions Inc.)

Elspeth Domville, David Wells

Barbara Sears Award for Best Editorial Research

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal – Part Three: It’s a Good Life if You Don’t Weaken

Amazon Prime Video Canada 

(Fully and Complete Productions Inc.)

Courtney Miceli, Kalin Moon, Jacob Akman

Best Sound, Lifestyle, Reality, or Entertainment

Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. The World – Snatch Game: The Rusical

Crave

(Blue Ant Studios, DR Canada World Two Productions Inc.)

John Diemer, Scott Brachmayer, Rosie Eberhard, Levi Linton, Dane Kelly, Rob Taylor, Eric Leigh, Alastair Sims

Best Writing, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition

Sponsor | Crave

Canada’s Drag Race – From Drags to Riches: The Rusical

Crave

(Blue Ant Studios, DR Canada Four Productions Inc.)

Brandon Ash Mohammed, Trevor Boris, Spencer Fritz

Best Picture Editing, Reality/Competition

Big Brother Canada – Episode 18

Global (Corus Entertainment)

(Insight Productions LTD)

Peter Antonakos, Kailey Birk, Elianna Borsa, Megan Day, Jonathan Dowler, Michael Emberley, Wesley Finucan, Ellora Dela Fuente, Jessica Graore, Andrew Gurney, Alexandra Mastronardi, Al Manson, Jeff Perry, Lindsay Ragone, Keith Ross, Mike Scott, Jon White, Jordan Wood, Holly Benson, Emily Gilhooley, Nathara Imenes, Alex Marsolais-Whicher, Heather Skeoch, Adam Sousa

Best Original Music, Factual, Lifestyle, Reality, or Entertainment

Sponsor | e=mc² productions

Paris 2024 Summer Olympics – Day 15 – Bell Paris Prime / Toyota Primetime

CBC (CBC)

(CBC Sports)

Orin Isaacs

Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute Award | Prix Hommage du conseil d’administration de l’Académie

John Brunton

Best Direction, Documentary Program

Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics

TELUS Optik TV

(White Pine Pictures)

Ben Addelman, Ziya Tong

Best Direction, Documentary Series

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal – Part Four: Grace, Too

Amazon Prime Video Canada

(Fully and Complete Productions Inc.)

Michael Downie

Best Writing, Documentary

The Knowing – Stealing Children

documentary Channel (CBC)

(Makwa Creative)

Tanya Talaga, Courtney Montour

Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series

An Optimist’s Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Crave

(Cream Productions)

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Philip Clarke, Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, David W. Brady, Kate Harrison Karman, Kathryn Liptrott, Joe Derrick, Patrick Cameron

Best Original Music, Documentary

Swan Song – Queen Behaviour

CBC (CBC)

(Visitor Media, Mercury Films)

Katie Austra Stelmanis

Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program

The Fifth Estate: Contract to Kill

CBC (CBC)

(CBC)

Raj Ahluwalia, Allya Davidson

Best Documentary Program

It’s Not Funny Anymore: Vice to Proud Boys

documentary Channel (CBC)

(C3 Media, Urbania)

Pablo Salzman, Annie Bourdeau, Philippe Lamarre, Raphaëlle Huysmans, Thomas Morton

Best Achievement in Casting, Non-Fiction

Canada’s Drag Race

Crave

(Blue Ant Studios, DR Canada Four Productions Inc.)
Heather Muir

Best Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series

Indigenous Art Adventures

APTN (APTN)

(APTN)

Lance Cardinal, Sean Rickner, Lisa Ducharme

Best Direction, Reality/Competition

Canada’s Drag Race – Premiere Ball

Crave

(Blue Ant Studios, DR Canada Four Productions Inc.)

Shelagh O’Brien

Best Production Design or Art Direction, Non-Fiction

Canada’s Drag Race – Premiere Ball

Crave

(Blue Ant Studios, DR Canada Four Productions Inc.)

Andrew Kinsella, Tara Smith

Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition

Canada’s Drag Race

Crave

(Blue Ant Studios, DR Canada Four Productions Inc.)

Brooke Lynn Hytes, Brad Goreski, Traci Melchor

Best Photography, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition

The Amazing Race Canada – Caution Double Pass Ahead

CTV (Bell Media)

(Insight Productions LTD)

Ryan Shaw

Best Direction, Lifestyle or Information

The Social – Earth Day Special

CTV (Bell Media)

(Bell Media)

Gillian E. Parker

Best Lifestyle Program or Series

Mary Makes It Easy

CTV Life Channel (Bell Media)

(Proper Television)

Allison Grace, Lesia Capone, Cathie James, David Donohue, Mary Berg, Jackie Frank, Michelle Li, Bessie McDonald-Gussack

Best Host, Lifestyle

Mary Makes It Easy

CTV Life Channel (Bell Media)

(Proper Television)

Mary Berg

The next group of winners will be shared tomorrow afternoon, following The Cinematic Arts Awards, presented by Telefilm Canada, supported by Cineplex.

Tune into the show via livestream at CanadianScreenAwards.ca to learn the winners in real time.

Be sure to follow @thecdnacademy on Social Media for exciting behind-the-scenes content from the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards.

Full 2025 Canadian Screen Awards Schedule:

Friday, May 30, 2025
12:30 PM ET: The News, Entertainment, and Sports Awards, presented by CTV News, Crave, and TSN
7:00 PM ET: The Documentary, Factual, Lifestyle, and Reality Awards, presented by Crave

Saturday, May 31, 2025
12:30 PM ET: The Cinematic Arts Awards, presented by Telefilm Canada, supported by Cineplex
7:00 PM ET: The Scripted Television Awards

Sunday, June 1, 2025
8 PM (9 AT, 9:30 NT): The 2025 Canadian Screen Awards on CBC and CBC Gem

(Photo credit: George Pimentel Photography)