Applause

Congratulations to the 2021 UBCP/ACTRA Award recipients

The 2021 UBCP/ACTRA awards ceremony celebrated 10 years of showcasing top B.C. talent during a live-streamed event on November 20. The evening began with a star-studded virtual red carpet with Sabrina Furminger interviewing nominees and special guests. Awards were presented in six performance categories: Christopher Shyer won the Best Lead Performance – Male award for his role in Debris – Solar Winds and the Best Lead Performance – Female award went to Camille Sullivan for Hunter Hunter. Hiro Kanagawa won the Best Supporting Performance – Male award for his role in Deeper I Go and Eden Summer Gilmore won the award for Best Supporting Performance – Female for her role in The Good Doctor. Brent Miller won the Best Voice Performance award for his performance in Lego Ninjago, and stunt performers Yusuf A. Ahmed, Brett Chan, Andrew Chin, Aliya Iskakova, Jennifer Li and Derick Vizcarra won the Best Stunt Performance award for their performances in Kung Fu – Pilot. The Lorena Gale Woman of Distinction Award was presented to Candus Churchill in recognition of her distinguished career and commitment to the advancement of women in the industry.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the UBCP/ACTRA Awards, all past nominees were sent certificates recognizing their nominations. “We are so proud of our members and the work they do” said UBCP/ACTRA President Ellie Harvie. “For the tenth year in a row, this awards show has given us the opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate the extraordinary individuals who have worked tirelessly to bring their exceptional talent, emotion, and innovative storytelling to our screens.” If you missed this year’s virtual ceremony, you can view it online.

The Governor General’s Performing Arts Foundation honours Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell with Performing Arts Award Laureate

Rita Shelton Deverell

ACTRA member Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell received a 2022 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA) for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. The laureates of the GGPAA for Lifetime Artistic Achievement recognize artists who have made an indelible contribution to cultural life in Canada and around the world. A television broadcaster, performer, scholar and activist, Rita has stood out for her innovation, creativity and inclusion. Driven by her commitment to social justice, she has focused on telling the stories of those whose voices are often unheard. Rita co-founded VisionTV, the world’s first multifaith and multicultural network, and is one of the first Black women in Canada to be a television host and network executive. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2005 and named ACTRA National Woman of the Year in 2018. An inspiring mentor, Rita is a role model for young artists, students and audiences alike. Said Dr. Deverell on receiving her honour, “I am very grateful to Jean Yoon and the ACTRA Diversity Committee for putting me on the path to this wonderful recognition.”  Link here to watch her GGPAA announcement video. ggpaa.ca

Jackie Richardson as an Honorary Member of the Order of Canada

Jackie Richardson

ACTRA member Jackie Richardson was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of Canada in November 2021 for her contributions as a Canadian jazz legend, and as a leader and mentor to young performers in her community. Jackie’s career in music, film and theatre spans more than five decades. Known as Canada’s reigning queen of jazz, blues and gospel, she has toured across Canada and around the world performing with renowned artists such as Ray Charles, Anne Murray, Dr. John and Celine Dion. Jackie has won a Gemini Award and a Dora Award for her acting and has received a Maple Blues Award for lifetime achievement. Appointments are made by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. gg.ca

Karen Robinson announced that Sphère Média and Sienna Films’ Sort Of was the recipient of the Members’ Choice Series Ensemble Award. Award-winning Stunt Coordinator Angelica Lisk-Hann presented the inaugural ACTRA Toronto Stunt Ensemble Award to the team behind a big rig stunt in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Stunt Coordinator Dan Skene accepted the award on behalf of the stunt ensemble. Said ACTRA Toronto President David Gale, “Our awards showed yet again that we have the breadth of outstanding talent to authentically tell any story, and as the Stunt Ensemble competition proved, if it’s action you want, we have that, too.” actratoronto.com

ACTRA MANITOBA’s GOLDEN BOY AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD

Mandeep Sodhi, Shannon Guile, Cory Wojcik and Terry Ray. Photo: Paul Little

Cory Wojcik and Mandeep Sodhi won ACTRA Manitoba’s 2022 GOLDEN BOY Audience Choice Award for Most Outstanding MIP short film, Not Funny, on April 23. The Member Initiated Production (MIP) Award, also called the Golden Boy Award, is presented annually at the MIP Showcase by ACTRA Manitoba to the “Most Outstanding MIP member-producers.” The award was presented by ACTRA Manitoba council members Shannon Guile and Terry Ray at a fun-filled evening at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain. It was ACTRA Manitoba’s first public event since the pandemic began. The award was presented by ACTRA Manitoba council members Shannon Guile and Terry Ray at a fun-filled evening at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain. It was ACTRA Manitoba’s first public event since the pandemic began.

Sandi Ross Awards in Toronto

Beans writer-director Tracey Deer and TallBoyz II Men comedy troupe members Vance Banzo, Guled Abdi, Franco Nguyen and Tim Blair were honoured at the Sandi Ross Awards, which were live-streamed on the ACTRA Toronto YouTube channel on November 12, 2021. During the one-hour broadcast, ACTRA Toronto Diversity & Inclusion Committee Co-Chairs Janet Rose Nguyen and Chattrisse Dolabaille hosted a discussion with the winners about pursuing a creative career, what advice they would have given to their younger selves, how to advocate for more diversity and inclusion while integrating activism into art, and what’s up next for all of them. The Sandi Ross Awards celebrate one individual and one company/organization each year whose work demonstrates a commitment to inclusion on screen.

Congratulations to the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards winners

Transplant (CTV) led the television honours, winning eight Canadian Screen Awards including: Best Drama Series; Best Lead Actor, Drama for Hamza Haq; Best Lead Actress, Drama for Laurence Leboeuf; and Best Supporting Actress, Drama for Ayisha Issa. The fifth and final season of Kim’s Convenience (CBC) took home three Canadian Screen Awards: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee for Best Lead Actor, Comedy; Jean Yoon for Best Lead Actress, Comedy; and Andrew Phung for Best Supporting Actor, Comedy, marking his fifth win in this category. Kaniehtiio Horn won Best Supporting Actress, Comedy for Letterkenny. The Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor, Drama was presented to Tim Rozon for Wynonna Earp (CTV Sci Fi Channel). Best Performance, Children’s or Youth was presented to Saara Chaudry for Lockdown (Family Channel). The Best Stunt Coordination Award was presented to John Stead for Pretty Hard Cases. The Canadian Screen Award for Best Guest Performance, Drama Series was presented to Tamara Podemski for Coroner (CBC). The Best Lead Actor, TV Movie was presented to Luke Humphrey for I Was Lorena Bobbitt (CTV Drama Channel) and Best Lead Actress, TV Movie to Samora Smallwood for Death She Wrote (CTV Drama Channel).The award forBest Sketch Comedy Program or Series went to Tallboyz (CBC): Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair and Franco Nguyen. Film honours were presented to Joshua Odjick for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Wildhood and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in Night Raiders. Miss Persona (Treehouse TV) won the Shaw Rocket Fund Kids’ Choice Award and CTV Sci Fi Channel’s Wynonna Earp took home the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award. ACTRA is a proud sponsor of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television’s Canadian Screen Awards. The April 10 Canadian Screen Awards broadcast can be viewed on CBC Gem. Link here to the full list of winners. academy.ca