CFC Alumni Score Top Prizes at Canadian Screen Awards

Posted: May 21, 2021

That’s a wrap on the 9th annual Canadian Screen Awards – and CFC alumni took home 35 awards across this year’s four awards ceremonies, scoring some of the top prizes in the film, television and digital media categories.

Some of this year’s highlights include CFC alumna Tracey Deer‘s Oka-inspired feature Beans (supported by CFC Features), which took home both the John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award and Best Motion Picture.

Alumni film Akilla’s Escape, picked up five wins – three for CFC alumni – including Best Original Screenplay for Charles Officer and Wendy Motion Brathwaite, Achievement in Casting for Nicole Hilliard-Forde, and Achievement in Sound Editing going to David McCallum. Alumnus Jeff Barnaby’s horror Blood Quantum came away with six wins, including Achievement in Editing for Jeff.

Among the TV categories, celebrated and critically acclaimed medical drama Transplant, created by alumnus Joseph Kay, was awarded the Best Drama Series, and Joseph also walked away with the award for Best Writing, Drama Series for penning the pilot episode. On the comedy side, homegrown hit Schitt’s Creek, from executive producer and CFC alumnus Andrew Barnsley,won Best Comedy Series for the third year in a row, and the fourth time overall.

Alumni were well represented in awards for children and youth as well. Warren P. Sonoda was awarded Best Direction, Children’s or Youth for his work on Odd Squad Mobile Unit“Music of Sound,” and Jessica Meya received the prize for Best Writing, Children’s or Youth for penning Detention Adventure“Hitting a Wall.”

Among the digital categories, the top prize of Best Immersive Experience went to CFC alumni Randall Okita, David Oppenheim and Anita Lee for their interactive VR experience The Book of Distance.

Alumni of The Slaight Music Residency were also recognized at this year’s CSAs, with Sarah Slean and Antonio Naranjo earning the Best Original Music, Fiction award for their work on Detention Adventure“All the World’s a Stage,” executive produced by fellow alumna Lauren Corber of LoCo Motion Pictures.

See the full list of alumni who took home prizes below. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!

Two sisters hold hands surrounded by trees in a forest with distressed looks on their faces

Beans


FILM NOMINATIONS


Best Motion Picture

  • The CSAs top prize for best picture was awarded to Beans, from producer Anne-Marie Gélinas – the 25th feature to be developed and financed for production with the support of CFC Features

Achievement in Casting

  • Nicole Hilliard-FordeAkilla’s Escape

Achievement in Editing

  • Jeff BarnabyBlood Quantum

Achievement in Sound Editing

  • David McCallumAkilla’s Escape

Original Screenplay

  • Charles Officer, Wendy BrathwaiteAkilla’s Escape

Best Animated Short

  • Hot FlashMatt Code

John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award

  • BeansTracey Deer

Two doctors standing side-by-side look down at the same phone

Transplant


TELEVISION PROGRAM CATEGORIES


Best Drama Series

Transplant
CTV (Bell Media)
(Sphere Media)
Joseph Kay, Virginia Rankin

Best Comedy Series

Schitt’s Creek
CBC (CBC)
(Not A Real Company Productions, Inc.)
Eugene Levy(CFC Board Member), Andrew Barnsley

Best Reality/Competition Program or Series

Canada’s Drag Race
Crave (Bell Media)
(Saloon Media/Blue Ant Studios)
Michael Kot, Betty Orr

Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program

9/11 Kids
documentary Channel (CBC)
(Saloon Media/Blue Ant Studios)
Michael Kot, Betty Orr

Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series

Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt’s Creek Farewell
CBC (CBC)
(Not A Real Company Productions, Inc.)
Eugene Levy (CFC Board Member), Andrew Barnsley

Best Documentary Program

Hockey Mom
CBC (CBC)
(Hockey Mom Films Inc)
Teyama Alkamli

Best Performing Arts Program

We’re Funny That Way: The Virtual Pride Special

CBC (CBC)

(Project 10 Productions Inc.)

Andrew Barnsley

Best Entertainment News Program or Series

Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble
CTV (Bell Media)
(Insight Productions Ltd.)
Barbara Williams (CFC Board Member)


A person stands in a window frame, their shadow displayed on the floor behind them

The Book of Distance


DIGITAL MEDIA CATEGORIES


Best Web Program or Series, Non-Fiction

Canada’s a Drag
(CBC)
Romeo Candido

Best Direction, Web Program or Series

Hey Lady! – Episode 3
(TJ Content Ltd)
Sarah Polley

Best Production, Interactive

The 2010s: The decade Canadian artists stopped saying sorry
(CBC Arts)
Romeo Candido

Best Immersive Experience

The Book of Distance
(National Film Board of Canada)
Randall Okita, David Oppenheim, Anita Lee


three ladies sit/stand around a cubicle and look at a woman who is sitting at her desk talking

Baroness von Sketch Show


TELEVISION CRAFT CATEGORIES


Best Direction, Drama Series

TransplantPilot
CTV (Bell Media)
(Sphere Media)
Holly Dale

Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy

Baroness Von Sketch Show – “Whatever you do, don’t smell his T-shirts”
CBC (CBC)
(Frantic Films)
Vivieno Caldinelli

Best Direction, Children’s or Youth

Odd Squad Mobile Unit – “Music of Sound”
TVOKids (TVO)
(Sinking Ship Entertainment)
Warren P. Sonoda

Best Writing, Drama Series

Transplant – Pilot
CTV (Bell Media)
(Sphere Media)
Joseph Kay

Best Writing, Children’s or Youth

Detention Adventure – “Hitting a Wall”
CBC Gem (CBC)
(LoCo Motion Pictures)
Jessica Meya

Best Picture Editing, Documentary

She Walks with Apes
CBC (CBC)
(Grand Passage Media Inc.)
Carole Larsen

Best Picture Editing, Comedy

Baroness Von Sketch Show – “Whatever you do, don’t smell his T-shirts”
CBC (CBC)
(Frantic Films)
Michael Pierro

Best Sound, Fiction

Vikings – “The Best Laid Plans”
History (Corus Entertainment)
(Take 5 Productions Inc.)
David McCallum

Best Original Music, Fiction

Detention Adventure – “All the World’s a Stage”
CBC Gem (CBC)
(LoCo Motion Pictures)
Sarah Slean, Antonio Naranjo

Best Original Music, Non-Fiction

A Bee’s Diary
CBC (CBC)
(Handful of Films Inc.)
Darren Fung (CFC mentor)


SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS


Outstanding Media Innovation Award

Secret Location (alumni company)


For the full list of winners, visit academy.ca.


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