The 9th annual Canadian Screen Awards were held in the week of May 17 to 20, 2021, to honour achievements in Canadian film, television, and digital media production in 2020.[1]
| 9th Canadian Screen Awards | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 17–20, 2021 |
| Location | virtual presentation |
| Hosted by | Ginella Massa Priyanka Eric Bauza Donté Colley Tyrone Edwards Nahéma Ricci Karine Vanasse Stephan James |
| Highlights | |
| Most awards | Blood Quantum (film), Schitt's Creek (TV) |
| Most nominations | Blood Quantum (film), Schitt's Creek (TV) |
| Best Motion Picture | Beans |
| Best Dramatic Series | Transplant |
| Best Comedy Series | Schitt's Creek |
Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, and the partial but incomplete progress of public vaccination, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television announced that the ceremony would proceed virtually, but Academy CEO Beth Janson stated that "it’s not going to be just a Zoom call of an awards show. We have a lot of exciting and creative things in store."[2]
Most nominations were announced on March 30, 2021;[3] however, the nominations and winners in sports broadcasting categories were announced at a later date.[4] No new winners were named for the Academy's annual special awards; instead, the honorees previously named in 2020, most notably Alex Trebek, were celebrated and highlighted.[3]
In the film categories, the film Blood Quantum received the most award nominations (10), and ultimately the most wins (6), while in the television categories, Schitt's Creek also received both the most award nominations (21) and wins (8).[5][6][7]
Changes
editDue to the impact of the pandemic on theatrical film distribution in 2020, the Academy revised its eligibility rules for films. Where the rules for feature films usually require a film to receive at least one full week of theatrical screenings in at least two of Canada's major metropolitan markets, the rules for 2020 permitted films that received at least four commercial screenings in just one major market, as well as films that were commercially screened on an Academy-approved list of video on demand platforms after having been planned for conventional theatrical distribution or screened in any qualifying Canadian film festival in 2020. Short films were eligible if they received one commercial screening in Canada, were accepted into two qualifying film festivals or were distributed on an approved VOD platform; documentary films were eligible if they received three commercial screenings, were accepted into two qualifying film festivals, or were screened on one of the approved VOD platforms.[4]
Janson stated that she was confident these eligibility changes would help the awards proceed normally; she also stated, however, that with the pandemic having impacted film production in 2020, the Academy was more concerned about the possibility of a downturn in qualifying content for the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022.[1] The Academy also introduced a number of new projects in 2020 to foster increased representation of diversity in the Canadian film industry, including an equity and inclusion fund to help defray the award submission fees for work by emerging content creators of colour, and new rules requiring indigenous-themed content to demonstrate direct indigenous engagement in the production, in accordance with the Indigenous Screen Office's principles of narrative sovereignty.[8]
Other new changes at the 9th ceremony included the renaming of the Overall Sound category to Sound Mixing, and the introduction of new categories for Best Casting in films and Best Stunt Coordination.[4]
Eligible streaming platforms
editThe eligible streaming platforms for the 9th Canadian Screen Awards included Amazon Prime, CBC Gem, the Cineplex Store, Club Illico, Crave, The Criterion Channel, CuriosityStream, Documentary Online Cinema, the Digital TIFF Bell Lightbox, Disney+, Dove Channel, Fandor, FlixFling, Google Play, Greetings from Isolation, GuideDoc, Highball TV, Hollywood Suite, Hoopla, Ignite TV On Demand, iTunes, Kanopy, Microsoft Films & TV, MUBI, Netflix, Pantaflix, Popcornflix, Shudder, Spuul, SundanceNow, Super Channel on Demand, Tubi, Vimeo on Demand and YouTube Premium.[9]
Film
editTelevision
editPrograms
edit| Drama Series | Comedy Series |
|---|---|
| Animated program or series | Documentary program |
|
|
| Children's or youth fiction | Children's or youth non-fiction |
| TV movie | Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series |
| Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series (Rob Stewart Award) | Social/Political Documentary Program (Donald Brittain Award) |
|
|
| Factual Program or Series | History Program or Series |
| Lifestyle Program or Series | Performing arts program |
| Pre-School Program or Series | Reality/Competition Program or Series |
| Talk program or series | Variety or entertainment special |
Actors
edit| Lead actor, drama | Lead actress, drama |
|---|---|
| Lead actor, comedy | Lead actress, comedy |
| Supporting actor, drama | Supporting actress, drama |
| Supporting actor, comedy | Supporting actress, comedy |
| Performance in a guest role, comedy series | Performance in a guest role, drama series |
| Performance in an animated program or series | Performance in a children's or youth program or series |
| Performance in a variety or sketch comedy program or series | Lead performance, TV movie |
|
News and information
edit| National newscast | Local newscast |
|---|---|
| News special | News or information program |
| |
| News anchor, national | News anchor, local |
| News reporter, national | News reporter, local |
| News or information series | News or information segment |
| |
| Morning show | Entertainment news program or series |
| |
| Host, talk show or entertainment news | Host or presenter, factual or reality/competition series |
|
|
| Host, lifestyle program | Host or interviewer, news or information program or series |
| Host, live entertainment special | |
|
Sports
editBecause many of the live sporting events on which sports broadcasting depends were cancelled in 2020, the Academy extended the eligibility period in sports broadcasting categories, and named the nominees and winners in separate events in July 2021.[10]
| Live sporting event coverage | Sports analysis or commentary |
|---|---|
|
|
| Sports host | Sports play-by-play |
|
|
| Sports feature segment | Sports opening |
|
|
| Sports program or series | |
|
Craft awards
edit| Editorial research | Visual research |
|---|---|
|
|
| Make-Up | Hair |
|
|
| Casting | Costume Design |
|
|
| Photography in a comedy series | Photography in a documentary program or factual series |
|
|
| Photography in a drama program or series | Photography in a lifestyle or reality program or series |
|
|
| Photography in a news or information program, series or segment | Editing in a comedy program or series |
|
|
| Editing in a documentary program or series | Editing in a dramatic program or series |
|
|
| Editing in a factual program or series | Editing in a reality or competition program or series |
|
|
| Production design/art direction in a fiction program or series | Production design/art direction in a non-fiction program or series |
|
|
| Sound in a fiction program or series | Sound in a non-fiction program or series |
|
|
| Sound in an animated program or series | Visual effects |
|
|
Directing
editMusic
edit| Original music, fiction | Original music, non-fiction |
|---|---|
| |
| Original music, animation | |
Writing
editAll-platform awards
editOne major category is currently presented without regard to the distinction between film, television or web media content.
| Stunt Coordination |
|---|
|
Audience awards
editTwo major categories are presented based on online voting by fans through social media engagement.
| Audience Choice[11] | Shaw Rocket Fund Kids' Choice |
|---|---|
|
Digital media
edit| Web Program or Series, Fiction | Web Program or Series, Non-Fiction |
|---|---|
| Lead Performance, Web Program or Series | Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series |
| Interactive Production | Host, Web Program or Series |
|
|
| Direction, Web Program or Series | Writing, Web Program or Series |
|
|
| Immersive Experience | Video Game Narrative |
|
|
| Live Production, Social Media | |
|
References
edit- ^ a b Barry Hertz, "How one Canadian arts institution is rebuilding amid the pandemic". The Globe and Mail, November 5, 2020.
- ^ Jonathan Szekeres, "Canadian Screen Awards go virtual — again". CKWX, March 27, 2021.
- ^ a b Victoria Ahearn, "‘Blood Quantum,’ ‘Schitt’s Creek’ top Canadian Screen Award nominations". Toronto Star, March 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Canadian Screen Awards: Rules and Regulations Change Highlights". Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
- ^ Ahearn, Victoria (March 30, 2021). "'Blood Quantum,' 'Schitt's Creek' top Canadian Screen Award nominations". CP24. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
- ^ Furdyk, Brent (May 20, 2021). "Indigenous Zombie Thriller 'Blood Quantum' & More Winners As Canadian Screen Awards Announces Winners In Cinematic Arts Categories". ET Canada. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (May 21, 2021). "'Schitt's Creek,' 'Blood Quantum' Triumph at Canadian Screen Awards". Variety. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
- ^ "Canadian Screen Awards group introduces new equity-driven initiatives, eligibility rules". CBC News, September 25, 2020.
- ^ "Canadian Screen Awards: Eligible Festivals and Online Platforms". Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
- ^ Catriona Koenig, "YK’s Hockey Day in Canada wins Canadian Screen Award". Cabin Radio, July 23, 2021.
- ^ "2021 CSA Audience Choice Award Nominees". ET Canada, March 16, 2021.