Canadian Screen Week 2023 has concluded with celebrations taking place over four days at Toronto’s Meridian Hall, honouring the achievements of Canadian talent in film, television, and digital media.

History was made this year in the Film and Television categories with records being set. CBC’s The Porter went on to win a record 12 Canadian Screen Awards, leading television honours overall. Wins include: Best Drama Series; Best Direction, Drama Series, presented by Playback; Best Writing, Drama Series; and Best Guest Performance, Drama Series for Alfre Woodward. The award for Best Lead Performer, Drama Series went to Hamza Haq for CTV’s Transplant, making this his third consecutive win as a lead in the series.

In Comedy, the sophomore season of CBC’s Sort Of took home an inpressive seven Canadian Screen Awards. Among those wins was Best Comedy Series; Best Lead Performer, Comedy, presented by the Canada Media Fund, for Bilal Baig; Best Guest Performance, Comedy for Amanda Brugel; and Best Writing, Comedy, for Bilal Baig and Fab Filippo, marking back-to-back wins for the pair in this category. 

Film honours were led by Clement Virgo’s Brother, which like The Porter, received a record 12 Canadian Screen Awards at The Cinematic Arts Awards, presented by Telefilm Canada and supported by Cineplex, on Thursday, April 13, including: Best Motion Picture; Achievement in Direction, and Adapted Screenplay for Clement Virgo; Performance in a Leading Role, presented by Telefilm Canada, for Lamar Johnson; and Performance in a Supporting Role for Aaron Pierre.

Special Awards were also handed-out through the week, culminating a star-studded conclusion to the week with the likes of Ryan Reynolds and Catherine O’Hara in-attendance. Honourees this year include:

–Ryan Reynolds, recipient of the Humanitarian Award, presented by Paramount+, was presented his award in a touching moment (see Reel below) by Everett Ho, SickKids patient ambassador, and Lisa Charendoff, Associate Director, Community Stakeholder Relations at SickKids Foundation. Winner Amanda Brugel also wanted Reynolds in on her victory photo!

–Catherine O’Hara, recipient of the Academy Icon Award, presented by CBC, received her award from Karen Robinson, her former Schitt’s Creek co-star.

–Simu Liu, recipient of the Radius Award presented by MADE | NOUS, recognizing a Canadian whose work is making waves globally

–Lisa LaFlamme, recipient of the Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism, recognizing a Canadian broadcast journalist for their exceptional body of work in broadcast journalism

–Pierre Bruneau, the recipeint of the Lifetime Achievement Award for exceptional work with an impact at home or abroad

–Peter MacNeill, recipient of the Earle Grey Award, presented by eOne for their exceptional body of acting work in Canadian television and film

–Tracy Moore, recipient of the Changemaker Award, which recognises and honours those in the media community in Canada who are using their voice or platform to call out systemic racism and discrimination, supporting and amplifying the voices of those who are actively engaged in anti-racist work, and seeking structural transformations in media, film, and television in Canada that promote values of equity and inclusion

–Paul Pope (post-humous), the recipient of the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute 

–Jennifer Podemski, recipient of the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute, honouring a Canadian individual for their extraordinary impact on the growth of the Canadian media industry

A Reel of Highlights from tonight’s Red Carpet:

The Canadian Screen Awards with Samantha Bee on Sunday, April 16, 2023 on CBC and CBC Gem at 8 PM (9 AT, 9:30 NT). The winner of the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award will be unveiled on the broadcast. Special guests also include Amy Poehler, Mae Martin, Adam DiMarco and Lamar Johnson. 

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Today, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) announced the nominees for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards in 145 television, film, and digital media categories, which also include the inaugural nominations in gender-neutral performance categories for lead and supporting performers in film and television.

The first season of CBC’s The Porter leads both television and overall 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominations with 19, including Best Drama Series and Best Lead Performer, Drama Series nominations for Aml Ameen, Ronnie Rowe Jr., and Mouna Traoré. Both CBC’s Sort Of and CBC Gem’s Detention Adventure received 15 nominations, followed by CBC’s Pretty Hard Cases with 11.

In film, Clement Virgo’s Brother tops nominations with 14, including Achievement in Direction and Performance in a Leading Role for Lamar Johnson. Stéphane Lafleur’s Viking follows with 13, while David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future boasts 11.

Revenge of the Black Best Friend leads digital media nominations with nine, including Best Web Program or Series, Fiction; followed by Avocado Toast The Series with seven and Tokens with four.

“From legendary directors like David Cronenberg to new voices like Bilal Baig, the 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominees reaffirm that our country has an immensely talented industry, and we are lucky to call them Canadian,” said Tammy Frick, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “Supporting these artists has never been more important, and we are proud to be at the centre of those efforts. I’m thrilled to share my heartfelt congratulations with all of the nominees and look forward to raising a glass to them in person this April.”

“The nominations for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards shine a much-deserved spotlight on the brilliant creative minds behind some of the best Canadian television, film, and digital media works of the past year, and we could not be more excited to gather in person — for the first time in four years — to celebrate these tremendous achievements,” said John Young, Chair, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

The 2023 Canadian Screen Awards will be presented in a series of seven intimate genre-based awards presentations, with esteemed members of the Canadian screen-based industry who brought us the best work from the last year, gathering in person at Meridian Hall in Toronto from Tuesday, April 11, 2023 through to Friday, April 14, 2023, all culminating with The Canadian Screen Awards with Samantha Bee, broadcasting on Sunday, April 16 at 8 PM (9 AT, 9:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.

An intimate look at Canadian storytelling excellence on screen, The Canadian Screen Awards with Samantha Bee is an hour-long star-studded broadcast special featuring celebrity interviews, highlights from the awards presentations throughout Canadian Screen Week 2023, and the presentation of the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award. The special will also include exclusive access to this year’s Special Award recipients, including: Ryan Reynolds, recipient of the Humanitarian Award, presented by Paramount+; Catherine O’Hara, who will receive the Academy Icon Award, presented by CBC; and Simu Liu, the recipient of the Radius Award, presented by MADE | NOUS.

The full schedule for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards is as follows:
Tuesday, April 11
12:00 PM ET – The Sports Programming Awards, presented by CTV
6:00 PM ET – The News, Documentary & Factual Awards

Wednesday, April 12
12:00 PM ET – The Children’s & Animation Awards, presented by Shaw Rocket Fund
6:00 PM ET – The Lifestyle & Reality Awards, presented by CTV

Thursday, April 13
12:00 PM ET – The Digital & Immersive Awards
6:00 PM ET – The Cinematic Arts Awards, presented by Telefilm Canada and supported by Cineplex

Friday, April 14
4:00 PM ET – The Comedic & Dramatic Arts Awards

Sunday, April 16
8:00 PM (9:00 PM AT, 9:30 PM NT) – The Canadian Screen Awards with Samantha Bee on CBC and CBC Gem

The 2023 Canadian Screen Awards Box Office opens today, Wednesday, February 22, 2023. Each of the awards presentations from Tuesday, April 11, 2023 to Friday, April 14, 2023 will include cocktail receptions for attendees, taking place before and after the shows. Canadian Screen Award nominees and guests can book their tickets online at academy.ca/boxoffice.

The nominees for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards were chosen by voting members of the Canadian Academy and by nominating juries, conducted virtually with representatives from the film, television, and digital media industries. The membership will now cast their votes between Wednesday, February 22, 2023 and Friday, March 10, 2023 to determine the winners.

For the full list of 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominees, please visit academy.ca/nominees; view the full schedule for Canadian Screen Week 2023 at academy.ca/schedule.

Media accreditation for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards opens on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. To receive updates and details for accreditation, as well as red carpet and press room opportunities, pre-register here. For promotional assets, including a fact sheet about the nominees and images, reference our digital toolkit.

About the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is the largest non-profit professional arts organization in Canada with a membership of more than 4,000 emerging and established industry professionals. Founded in 1979, the Canadian Academy is dedicated to recognizing, celebrating, and advocating for Canadian talent in the film, television, and digital media sectors while remaining committed to nurturing all levels of talent through professional training, networking opportunities, and guidance. The Canadian Academy produces the Canadian Screen Awards, bringing together the screen-based industries annually to honour and celebrate the country’s top talent during Canadian Screen Week.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television proudly acknowledges the support of its Leading Media Partner, CBC; Premier Partner, Telefilm Canada; Platinum Partner, CTV; and its Lead Partners, Netflix, the Canada Media Fund, Cineplex, the Cogeco Fund, and WBD Access Canada.

For information on membership and programming visit academy.ca.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) unveiled today the complete list of recipients for the 2023 Special Awards, a series of achievement awards bestowed upon those in Canada’s screen-based industry who have made outstanding contributions to the industry and society as a whole. These nine illustrious recipients will be recognized for their formidable accomplishments during Canadian Screen Week, taking place in Toronto from Tuesday, April 11, 2023 through to Sunday, April 16, 2023.

“On behalf of the Canadian Academy’s Board of Directors, I offer a hearty congratulations to the nine remarkably talented recipients of this years’ Special Awards,” said John Young, Chair, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “Each one of these honourees is a testament to how hardworking, dedicated, and talented our homegrown creative community is, and we look forward to celebrating them at Canadian Screen Week 2023.”

“It is truly inspiring to see such a powerful, diverse group of Special Award honourees who are a true representation of the amazing work that is being done by Canadians in film and television,” said Tammy Frick, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “From powerhouse performers to household names you trust and welcome into your homes each day, their impact stretches far beyond just our country’s borders and we are so proud they call Canada home.”

The Canadian Academy’s 2023 Special Award honourees are:

The Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute, honouring a Canadian individual for their extraordinary impact on the growth of the Canadian media industry, is presented to Jennifer Podemski, an Anishinaabe/Ashkenazi actor, writer, director, and producer whose impressive career in television spans over 30 years, with on-screen credits including Reservation Dogs, Dance Me Outside, The Rez, Degrassi TNG, Blackstone, Empire of Dirt, and Departure.

The Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute is also being given posthumously to Paul Pope, a giant in the Canadian media production community and an advocate for the industry in Newfoundland. Through his tireless promotion of the province, and the work of his company, Pope Productions, Pope was instrumental in bringing hundreds of film and TV projects to Newfoundland, with credits such as Hudson & Rex, Rare Birds, and Extraordinary Visitor.

The Academy Icon Award, presented to a Canadian individual or institution for their exceptional, ongoing contribution to the media industry at home or abroad, is awarded to Catherine O’Hara, a prolific, multi-award-winning actress, writer, and comedian whose film credits include lead and supporting roles in Schitt’s Creek, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, After Hours, Heartburn, The Life Before This, Penelope, Away We Go, Where the Wild Things Are, A.C.O.D., The Right Kind of Wrong, Nightmare Before Christmas, and many more.

The Changemaker Award, which recognises and honours those in the media community in Canada who are using their voice or platform to call out systemic racism and discrimination, supporting and amplifying the voices of those who are actively engaged in anti-racist work, and seeking structural transformations in media, film, and television in Canada that promote values of equity and inclusion, is presented to the award-winning host of Cityline, Tracy Moore. Moore has shown an admirable commitment to diversity and inclusion on Cityline in front of and behind the camera, most notably through her work as the host of the Cityline Real on Race YouTube series and podcast and as co-producer and co-host of Citytv’s RTNDA award-winning race special Ending Racism: What Will it Take? Moore has also made a commitment to supporting young women and children with Cityline’s very first scholarship for BIPOC women, and was recently named a Trust 15 ambassador.

The Earle Grey Award, presented by eOne, recognizing a Canadian performer for their exceptional body of acting work in Canadian television and film, is presented to Peter MacNeill, an award-winning actor and veteran in the film and television industry. With no shortage of credits in both film and television, including Thom Fitzgerald’s The Hanging Garden, for which he won the 1997 Genie Award for Best Supporting Actor, HBO Canada series Call Me Fitz alongside Jason Priestley (for which he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor, Comedy), and his current role as Ken Finley-Cullen in eOne/CBC series Moonshine created by Sheri Elwood, MacNeill’s successful career has rightfully cemented him as a Canadian icon.

The Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism, recognizing a Canadian broadcast journalist for their exceptional body of work in broadcast journalism, is presented to Lisa LaFlamme, a journalist who has been at the forefront of the profession for over 30 years, tackling some of the biggest issues of our time and traveling the globe to deliver breaking news to Canadians.

The Humanitarian Award, in recognition of an extraordinary humanitarian contribution or act of compassion by a professional working in the Canadian media industry in the prior year, is presented to Ryan Reynolds, an actor, producer, screenwriter, and entrepreneur. Beyond Reynold’s undeniable ability to entertain and captivate audiences, he has shown a dedication to philanthropy throughout his career with several generous donations to various charities, such as Canada’s Water First Education and Training Inc. and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in an effort to support displaced families from Ukraine, as well as his annual “aesthetically challenged” sweater holiday campaign that helps raise money for The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Ryan has also made major contributions to the industry outside of his performances, as the co-founder of two different organizations aiming to offer underrepresented communities more access to creative careers: the Group Effort Initiative (GEI) and Creative Ladder.

The Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring a Canadian individual for an exceptional lifetime of work that has had a profound impact on the media industry at home or abroad, is presented to Pierre Bruneau. Over the course of his career, Bruneau anchored TVA’s election night coverage for close to 40 municipal, provincial, and federal elections and hosted close to a dozen leaders’ debates. Highly regarded by the public, Bruneau is no stranger to awards; he has won the Artis Award for Best News Anchor 23 times and has received a long list of honours for his outstanding contributions to the community, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.

The Radius Award, presented by MADE | NOUS, recognizing a Canadian whose work is making waves globally, is presented to Simu Liu, who made history as the star of the first Asian-fronted movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Destin Daniel Cretton’s Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. Liu also starred in CBC comedy series, Kim’s Convenience, for five seasons, which went on to win the award for Best Comedy Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards.

The 2022 Canadian Screen Award Broadcast Gala, now in its tenth year, was held tonight virtually, airing on CBC and CBC Gem, concluding Canadian Screen Week celebrations. Taking home top honours in the Television categories was CTV‘s TRANSPLANT including wins for Best Drama Series; Best Lead Actor, Drama Series for Hamza Haq; and Best Lead Actress, Drama Series for Laurence Leboeuf. 

Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson’s Scarborough – based on Catherine Hernandez‘s Novel – led the Film categories, winning a total of eight Canadian Screen Awards including: Best Motion Picture, presented by CBC; Achievement in Direction; and the John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award, which comes with a $25,000 cash prize, courtesy of the John Dunning Foundation. 

In the Digital categories, Obsidian Theatre’s 21 Black Futures took home four wins, including: Best Web Program or Series, Fiction, presented with the participation of the Independent Production Fund; and Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series for Lovell Adams-Gray. 

Wynonna Earp based on fan votes, took the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award, the first time the Award was given in the Television category this year. Treehouse TV’s Miss Persona won the Shaw Rocket Fund Kids’ Choice Award.

Also, eight special awards tonight were given to those who have made significant contributions to the industry. Honourees included Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Bob Cole; Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism recipient Rassi Nashalik; Radius Award (presented by MADE | NOUS) recipient Maitreyi Ramakrishnan; and the inaugural recipients of the Changemaker Award: Kayla Grey, Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Amanda Parris.

Complete list of winners here.

(Photo credit: levelFILM)

Nominees were announced this morning for the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards. The Awards honouring the finest in Canadian Film, Television and Digital will be presented April 10, 2022 virtually, wrapping-up a week of celebrations.

CBC series Sort Of starring Bilal Baig as a gender-fluid millennial, leads both television and overall 2022 Canadian Screen Award nominations with 13, followed by CBC’s Pretty Hard Cases and CTV Sci-Fi Channel’s Wynonna Earp with 11, and CBC’s Coroner and Kim’s Convenience with 10.

Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson’s Scarborough and Danis Goulet’s Night Raiders top Film nominations with 11 per film, while Michael McGowan’s All My Puny Sorrows sees eight and both Bretten Hannam’s Wildhood and Ivan Grbovic’s Drunken Birds | Les oiseaux ivres receive six. Scarborough, Night Raiders, All My Puny Sorrows and Drunken Birds all premiered at TIFF ’21 and are named on their Canada’s Top Ten list.

21 Black Futures and For the Record both lead Digital Media nominations with eight, followed by The Communist’s Daughter with six. 

This year’s Canadian Screen Week schedule will be 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.

The 2022 Canadian Screen Awards Gala airs on CBC and CBC Gem on Sunday, April 10, 2022 at 8:00 PM (9:00 PM AT / 9:30 PM NT).

(Photo credit: levelFILM)

Canadian Screen Week 2022 is set to take place virtually from April 4 – 10, 2022. The Broadcast Gala returns once again to CBC and CBC Gem Sunday, April 10 at 8:00 PM ET. Canadian Screen Week honours achievements in Canadian Cinema and Television and is now in its tenth year.

Confirmed are the week of Awards Galas:

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

While the Broadcast Gala will be host-less this year, among those presenting this year are the stars of TallBoyz (Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, and Franco Nguyen), photographed above.

Nominees will be unveiled on Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00 AM ET.

More details on Canadian Screen Week can be found here.

(Photo credit: George Pimentel)

Canadian Screen Week will be taking place between April 4 – April 10, 2022 this year and today The Canadian Academy of Cinema & Television have announced 2022 Special Award recipients. New this year is a Changemaker Award to honour those in Media who have lent their voices against systemic racism. Also Toronto’s Maitreyi Ramakrishnan who is making waves starring in Netflix’s NEVER HAVE I EVER, will be receiving a Radius Award!

The Canadian Academy’s 2022 Special Award honourees are:

The Changemaker Award is presented to Kayla Grey, Kathleen Newman-Bremang, and Amanda Parris.

Kayla Grey is the host and co-executive producer of TSN’s The Shift with Kayla Grey Powered by Dell XPS, appears regularly as an anchor of SportsCentre, and reports courtside for TSN’s live coverage of the Toronto Raptors. Grey reported on the Toronto Raptors’ historic NBA championship run for TSN in 2019, and also joined CTV’s fan-favourite series The Amazing Race Canada as an official race correspondent for The Amazing Race Canada: Ride Along. In 2019, Grey was awarded the ByBlacks magazine People’s Choice Award in the TV Personality category. Grey was also honoured on Chatelaine’s 2020 Women of the Year list, named one of Refinery29’s Powerhouse Women of 2020, and Woman of the Year in Post City Magazine. She has also been recognized by Women of Influence as one of the Top 25 Women of Influence in Canada for 2021. A graduate of Toronto’s College of Sports Media, Grey began her broadcasting career as an analyst for the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and various university varsity sports. She then moved to Winnipeg as a Digital Broadcast Journalist for Global News, and to Prince Rupert, BC to become a senior reporter for CFTK-TV news. The Toronto native joined TSN in 2015 as an on-air update anchor for TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto. She became the first Black woman to host a flagship sports highlight show in Canada when she made her SportsCentre debut in 2018.

Kathleen Newman-Bremang is a Toronto-based writer, editor, and producer. Her writing has appeared in publications like Refinery29, ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Lainey Gossip, Corduroy Magazine, The Toronto Star, and The Kit. For six seasons, she was the celebrity and entertainment producer on Canada’s #1 daytime talk show The Social and has contributed to many high-profile productions like eTalk: Live at the Oscars and co-created the Crave original series Cravings: The Aftershow. She is currently the Deputy Director, Global at Refinery29 Unbothered, a vertical made for and by Black women. Through Unbothered, she oversees content across the UK, U.S., and Canada, and writes about pop culture, race, feminism, and the intersection of all three, while championing other Black women writers to do the same. Her essay “For Black Women In Media, A Dream Job Is A Myth” was a finalist for a National Magazine Award. Her column What’s Good has spotlighted many Canadian creators of colour and their series and films. Newman-Bremang has profiled stars like Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Fefe Dobson, Angela Bassett, Issa Rae, Yara Shahidi, and Joshua Jackson, and furthered conversations about representation in Canadian television, accountability in Canadian media, and the importance of hiring Black and Indigenous creators behind the scenes of film and TV productions. She’s a co-host of the popular R29 Unbothered podcast Go Off, Sis, a mentor for Canadian Journalists of Colour, and a frequent culture commentator for various national CBC and CTV broadcast programs. She was the 2021 winner of CBC’s inaugural Canada Listens where she defended Kardinal Offishall’s seminal album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 and advocated for more inclusion in Canada’s music coverage. 

Amanda Parris is an award-winning playwright, columnist, and TV and radio host. Parris was the host of the award-winning series CBC Arts: Exhibitionists from 2015-2020. At the time, it was the only show on television dedicated to telling stories about Canadian artists across all mediums. She also created Black Light, an award-winning column for CBC Arts, that showcases, historicizes, and critically engages art and popular culture created by Black people. Parris’ debut play Other Side of the Game (2019) was awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama and is currently being taught in classrooms across the country. Her latest theatrical work, The Death News (2020), was part of Obsidian Theatre’s groundbreaking project 21 Black Futures and, in 2021, she made her directorial debut with her award-winning short film The Death Doula. Amanda has been named one of Grenada’s Top 40 individuals under the age of 40, one of Toronto’s Most Inspiring Women by Post City, a Local Hero of Toronto Film by NOW Magazine, and received the Rising Star Award from AfroGlobal Television. In 2022, Parris’ scripted digital series Revenge of the Black Best Friend, which follows a self-help guru whose singular mission is to cancel the entertainment industry’s reliance on token Black characters, will premiere on CBC Gem.

Honouring a Canadian whose work is making waves globally, the Radius Award, presented by MADE | NOUS, is presented to Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan — named on the 2021 TIME100 Next, an annual list of individuals who are shaping the future of their fields and defining the next generation of leadership, listed as one of the best actors of 2020 by the New York Times, and ambassador of Plan International Canada — has won the hearts and minds of a global audience. Her natural talent in acting and comedy was revealed through her breakthrough starring role as Devi Vishwakumar in Mindy Kaling’s hit show Never Have I Ever. Captivating international audiences with fast-paced comedic and heart-wrenching dramatic skills, Ramakrishnan’s multifaceted acting talent has been recognized by the 2021 Gracies, awarding her Actress in a Breakthrough Role — Comedy. Additionally, she was recently recognized by the 2021 Annual Asian American Awards for Breakout in TV and was nominated for Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series by the Independent Spirit Awards. Ramakrishnan is soon to appear on screens in 2022 in Pixar’s Turning Red, voicing the role of Priya. She is currently filming the third season of Never Have I Ever.

For an exceptional lifetime of work that has had a profound impact on the media industry at home or abroad, the Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to Bob Cole.

Bob Cole, a Hockey Hall of Famer and Canadian icon, has been captivating hockey audiences with his electrifying voice for more than five decades. Joining Sportsnet in June 2014, Cole continued to call games on Saturdays for Hockey Night in Canada — as well as during the Stanley Cup Playoffs — until stepping away from the microphone in 2019. A Gemini Award winner, Cole began his broadcast career in St. John’s, Newfoundland as an announcer on the radio station VOCM in 1954. Cole later joined the CBC in 1969 as radio play-by-play announcer for Hockey Night in Canada before transitioning to the show’s television broadcast in 1973. Following Foster Hewitt’s retirement, Cole became the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada. Over the course of his celebrated career, Cole called play-by-play for the 1972 Summit Series radio broadcast and was the lead hockey announcer for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City where Canada defeated the United States in the gold medal men’s hockey game. Following his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996, Cole was a recipient for the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for excellence in hockey broadcasting in 1996 and has been honoured with nine Gemini Award nominations with a win for Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer in 2007.

For an exceptional body of work in broadcast journalism, the Gordon Sinclair Award For Broadcast Journalism is presented to Rassi Nashalik.

Rassi Nashalik is a recently retired Inuk media personality who grew up in a little outpost camp called Sauniqturaajuk outside of Pangnirtung, Nunavut and is currently living in Yellowknife, NT. Until her retirement in 2014, she pioneered and hosted CBC North’s Igalaaq, an Inuktitut daily television newscast for audiences primarily in northern Canada. Over her 19 years at CBC, Nashalik travelled extensively throughout the North, hosting celebrations such as the creation of Nunavut, the first Nunavut election, the Arctic Winter Games, and the Canada Games. In 2003, she received an English Television Award for Living Hope, an hour-long television show on suicide in the North, and in 2021 she became the first Inuk woman inducted into the CBC News Hall of Fame. Prior to her work with CBC, she worked as a manager of the Inuktitut section of the language bureau for the Government of the Northwest Territories, an interpreter translator for the Arctic Co-operatives Federation Ltd., and as a community health representative in Pangnirtung. A lifelong volunteer, Nashalik has served as an elder to advise on the Yellowknife staging of the “Walking With Our Sisters” exhibition to honour murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls, a YWCA Board member in Yellowknife between 2013 and 2019, and has been a member of the RCMP G Division Commanding Officers Indigenous Consultative Committee providing an Indigenous lens to policing in the North and advising on reconciliation for the past three years. In 2018, Nashalik was honoured to be one of the elders to light the ceremonial Qulliq for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry (MMIWG) in the North. She also participated in a Missing Inuit Women gathering to vet the MMIWG final report recommendations. Nashalik is currently adjunct to the University of Alberta School of Public Health where, as an elder-in-residence, she liaises with northern students and provides a link to Inuit culture and traditions.

For their extraordinary impact on the growth of the Canadian media industry, the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute Award is presented to Vince Commisso and John Galway.

Vince Commisso is President and CEO of 9 Story Media Group, one of the industry’s leading creators, producers, and distributors of top-quality content for young audiences around the world. With facilities in Toronto, New York, Dublin, and Bali, the 9 Story family of companies has produced thousands of episodes of best-in-class kids and family programming. Commisso began his career in 1992 at Nelvana, where he rose through the ranks to become Supervising Producer, garnering one Emmy® and two Gemini nominations. In 2002, he co-founded 9 Story Entertainment, an animation company that would utilize leading edge technologies to develop and produce compelling animated children’s content with international appeal. Since earning an Emmy® Award on the company’s very first show, Peep and the Big Wide World, the 9 Story family of companies has gone on to earn countless other awards, including seventeen Emmy® Awards and two Oscar® nominations.

An MBA graduate, John Galway’s career has ranged from film festivals to film and TV development, production, and financing. After leadership positions at TIFF, Ontario Creates, The Canadian Media Fund, and Telefilm Canada, he joined The Harold Greenberg Fund as President and Board Member. As President, he was responsible for the strategic and financial management of the organization, as well as industry and board relations. During his time at the Fund, he oversaw investments of more than $40 million and helped develop over 1500 feature film projects. In addition to the main feature film development and production programs, Galway oversaw partnerships with film festivals, scriptwriting labs, and film promotion initiatives as well the support of documentary and short film projects. In 2021, he launched Corrib Entertainment to develop and produce fiction and non-fiction properties and to consult on film industry projects. He is the co-Founder and Executive Director of the Toronto Irish Film Festival. He has facilitated producer delegations to the Jerusalem Film Festival (partnering with the Israeli Government and the Jerusalem Foundation), the Galway Film Fleadh (partnering with Screen Ireland), and an Ireland-Canada co-production lab (partnering with Screen Ireland and the Canadian Embassy). Galway is also the Facilitator of the Producer’s Lab at the Whistler Film Festival.

Nominees for this year’s Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.

(Photo credit: Netflix)

The final group of Canadian Screen Awards were announced tonight, capping-off a seven-part celebration honouring Canada’s best scripted and non-scripted Digital, Film and Television. While traditionally held in-person, the Gala again went virtual this year.

In its sixth and final season, CBC Series SCHITT’S CREEK took home Best Comedy Series, Best Direction, Comedy* honour for Director/Screenwriter Andrew Cividino and Daniel Levy; and the sixth win in a row for Actress Catherine O’Hara in the Best Lead Actress, Comedy category.

The first season of Canada’s Drag Race also took home five Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Reality/Competition Program or Series. Season Two currently is being filmed in Toronto.

After gaining much acclaim out of TIFF’ 20, Tracey Deer’s BEANS went on to win Best Motion Picture tonight, while it was BLOOD QUANTUM that would sweep seven awards in the Film categories, including Michael Greyeyes for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role category.

Christopher Plummer also would be awarded posthumously for his work in TV Series DEPARTURES for Supporting Actor. Television icon Alex Trebek also posthumously was given the Academy Icon Award award, one of eleven 2020 Special Awards handed-out throughout the week. 

Complete list of winners can be found here.

(Photo credit: CBC)

Nominees were announced today for the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards. The Screen Awards will take place this year virtually between Monday, May 17, 2021 through Thursday, May 20, 2021.

Up for Best Picture this year are Nadia, Butterfly, Beans, Funny Boy, Underground | Souterrain and The Nest.

Best Drama Series nominees include: Burden of Truth, Cardinal: Until The Night, Departure, Transplant and Vikings. Up for Best Comedy Series are Schitt’s Creek, Baroness Von Sketch Show, Workin’ Moms, Letterkenny and Kim’s Convenience.

The schedule for the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards is as follows:

Monday, May 17

7:00 PM ET – Canadian Screen Awards – News & Documentary, Presented by CBC

8:00 PM ET – CTV presents the Canadian Screen Awards – Lifestyle & Reality

Tuesday, May 18

7:00 PM ET – Canadian Screen Awards – Children’s & Animation, Presented by Shaw Rocket Fund

8:00 PM ET – Canadian Screen Awards – Digital & Immersive, Presented with the participation of the Independent Production Fund 

Wednesday, May 19

7:00 PM ET – CTV presents the Canadian Screen Awards – Creative Arts & Performance

Thursday, May 20

7:00 PM ET – Canadian Screen Awards – Cinematic Arts, Presented by Telefilm Canada, Supported by Cineplex

8:00 PM ET – Canadian Screen Awards

Nominees are here.

The 2021 Canadian Screen Awards for Sports will be handed out in July 2021, with nominees to be announced in June 2021.

More details on Academy.ca.

(Photo credit: The Canadian Academy)

Nominees were announced today for the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards. Leading all nominees is SCHITT’S CREEK with 26 nominations with nods for Best Comedy Series; Best Writing, Comedy; and Best Direction, Comedy, as well as multiple acting nominations in Best Lead Actor, Comedy; Best Lead Actress, Comedy; Best Supporting Actress, Comedy; and Best Supporting Actor, Comedy. The  Series about a bankrupt wealthy family left with only one asset, an ugly town, has continued to gained critical acclaim over its six seasons, garnering an international following.

Leading the Film nominees is SONG OF NAMES, up for Achievement in Art Direction / Production Design, Achievement in Costume Design, and Achievement in Visual Effects. The Film is about a man’s journey to find his childhood best friend, a violin prodigy who goes missing.

Awards across 141 categories will be distributed over a series of galas on Canadian Screen Week – March 23 – 29, 2020.

The Broadcast Gala airs and streams on CBC and CBC GEM Sunday, uarch 29, 2020 at 8 PM ET.

(Photo credit: CBC)