Applause

imagineNATIVE honours Gary Farmer

Gary Farmer was honoured with the August Schellenberg Award of Excellence at the 2022 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival on October 22. Gary’s career has spanned more than four decades. He is recognized as a pioneer in the development of First Nations media in Canada and is the founding director of the Aboriginal Voices Radio Network. He has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards for Best Supporting Male.

Gary’s first major television role was on CBC’s Spirit Bay (1984). He played police captain Joe Stonetree on the TV series Forever Knight (1992 – 1994) and Chief Tom in the CBC First Nations series The Rez (1996). Gary is known for his role as the spiritual, Native American guide Nobody in Dead Man (1995) directed by Jim Jarmusch. Recent credits include Resident Alien, Reservation Dogs, Blood Quantum and The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw.

Past recipients of this award include Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Jackson, Tina Keeper, Michael Greyeyes, Michelle Thrush, Lorne Cardinal and Dr. Shirley Cheechoo. The August Schellenberg Award of Excellence is supported by ACTRA National, a generous donation from Joan Karasevich Schellenberg and individual donors. Visit imaginenative.org for the full list of winners.

Winners of the 2022 ACTRA Awards in Manitoba

The gala to celebrate the ACTRA Awards in Manitoba took place on Saturday, October 22 in the magnificent Bonnie and John Buhler Hall at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Seven performance awards and two special industry recognition awards were presented. The Outstanding Performance in a Feature awards went to Megan Best in Missing and Alone, Summer Howell in Hunter Hunter and Chelsey Mark in First Person Shooter. Paul Essiembre and Adam Hurtig each picked up an Outstanding Performance in a Series Episode award for their respective work in Burden of Truth Season 4. In the Outstanding Performance in a Short category, Charis Ann Wiens won an award for her work in Naval Gazing. Rick Skene took home the Outstanding Stunt Performance award for his work in Flag Day. ACTRA Manitoba honoured Liz Jarvis with the Wayne Nicklas Award for her outstanding achievement and commitment in support of the film and television industry. Cartel Pictures Canada was honoured with ACTRA’s Manitoba Award for exceptional commitment to Manitoba performers. Aleks Paunovic and Joanne Rodriguez co-hosted the ceremony. The ACTRA Awards in Manitoba recognize the accomplishments of ACTRA Manitoba’s talented performers and celebrate Manitoba’s vibrant screen industry.

Alberta’s 2022 Rosie Award Winners

The Alberta Film & Television Awards, fondly known as the Rosies, were awarded in Calgary on September 24. The annual Rosie Awards celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement of Alberta-based productions and film workers who reside in Alberta. Shaun Johnston won the award for Best Performance by an Alberta Actor for his role in the short film Theft. In the Best Host category, Tom Jackson picked up the Award for the Huron Carole 2021, Angels Without Wings. Presented by the Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) in partnership with the Calgary International Film Festival, these were the 48th Rosie Awards. The full list of winners can be viewed here.

2022 ACTRA Awards in the Maritimes

Screen Nova Scotia hosted its eighth annual awards gala on June 18 in the Schooner Ballroom at Casino Nova Scotia. ACTRA Maritimes presented four Outstanding Performance Awards. Beth Amiro won Outstanding Performance by an Actor for her role in Second Wedding, directed by ACTRA Maritimes member Taylor Olson. Alexandra McDonald won for her role as Laura in the feature film Night Blooms. Director Stephanie Joline and producers Marc Tetreault and Jason Levangie’s work on Night Blooms was also recognized with the best feature film award. Reid Price won for his role as Byron in Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor, directed and written by ACTRA Maritimes member Shelley Thompson. Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor is about a young transgender woman from Nova Scotia returning home for her mother’s funeral, trying to rebuild her relationship with her estranged father. Avery Winters-Anthony took home an ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance for his role as Travis in the critically-acclaimed Indigenous drama Wildhood – a coming-of-age story and a journey across Mi’kma’ki, by Two-Spirit filmmaker Bretten Hannam.  screennovascotia.com

Canada’s new Stunt Hall of Fame and Inaugural 2022 Inductees

Canadian entertainment history was made on October 13 with the launch of the Canadian Stunt Hall of Fame (CANSHOF). The inaugural inductees have been honoured for their legacy of work and all they have contributed to the evolution of Canada’s world-class stunt community.

“Whether it is a blockbuster movie, a hit television series, or a commercial or video game production, each of the CANSHOF inductees has had a profound impact on the stunt community and screen industry,” said Rick Skene, CANSHOF founder and Committee Chair. “The new CANSHOF will formally pay tribute to the ground-breaking work and dedication of Canada’s stunt professionals. In collaboration with ACTRA National, we are pleased to celebrate the accomplishments of the Canadian stunt community.”

The Canadian Stunt Hall of Fame Committee (Rick Skene, Colin Decker, Mike Scherer, Steve ‘Shack’ Shackleton, Ana Shepherd, Lori Stewart, and Amy Szoke) is dedicated to honouring and serving Canada’s professional stunt community coast-to-coast-to-coast. The website serves as an online archive to celebrate the body of work that has established Canada as a world-class action film destination. www.canshof.ca

Winners of the 2022 ACTRA Awards in Montreal

Hosted by internationally renowned comedian Heidi Foss, the ACTRA Awards in Montreal took place on November 14, 2022, and was Montreal’s first in-person awards gala in three years.

Life memberships were presented to Stunt Coordinator Michael Scherer and ACTRA Montreal Ombudsperson Phyllis Gooden.  Claudia Ferri, ACTRA Montreal’s 2022 Woman of the Year, was recognized for being a passionate advocate for the advancement of women in the industry. 

In total, six performance awards were presented. The Outstanding Voice Performance – masculine went to Vlasta Vrana for his work on Felix and the Treasure of Morgäa. The feminine voice award went to Eleanor Noble for Pil’s Adventures.  For their work on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Emmanuelle Lussier-Martinez and Alex Weiner took home Outstanding Performance in a Videogame Awards.  Outstanding Onscreen Performance went to Ayham Abou Ammar on the film Peace by Chocolate and Sarah Booth for her work on indie feature Last Call.  

Click here for the complete list of 2022 award recipients.

Congratulations to the 2022 UBCP/ACTRA Award Winners

The 2022 UBCP/ACTRA awards ceremony celebrated 11 years of showcasing top B.C. talent during an event on November 19 at the Vancouver Playhouse. The evening began with a star-studded red carpet with Sabrina Furminger interviewing nominees and special guests and was hosted by Actor and comedian Kalyn Miles. Awards were presented in six performance categories: Stephen Lobo won the Best Lead Performance, Male award for his role in Donkeyhead. The Best Lead Performance, Female award went to Agam Darshi also in Donkeyhead. Eric McCormack won the Best Supporting Performance, Male award for his role in Drinkwater, and Leah Gibson won the award for Best Supporting Performance, Female for her role in Joe Pickett – The Most Hated Man in 12 Sleeps. Ian Hanlin won the Best Voice Performance award for his performance in Angry Birds: Summer Madness – Much Ado About Pudding, and Marny Eng, Colby Chartrand, Kevin Fortin, Leif Havdale and Jeff Sanca won the Best Stunt Performance award for their work in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

“I am so grateful to be able to celebrate the exceptional calibre of acting that is represented here tonight,” said Ellie Harvie, UBCP/ACTRA President. We have all enjoyed countless hours of entertainment by the performers who were nominated and it is exciting to think of what we will see from these talented actors in the future. I am proud to be a part of this community.”

The John Juliani Award of Excellence was bestowed posthumously to revered actor Michael Kopsa.