MANITOBA TAKES HOME SEVEN CANADA SCREEN AWARDS
Posted on March 21, 2016
As Canadian Screen Week drew to a close Sunday evening, Manitoba producers of factual, lifestyle and dramatic content walked away with a total of seven Canadian Screen Awards.
The Manitoba documentary production company Merit Motion Pictures took home the prestigious Best History Documentary Program or Series award for their project Vietnam: Canada’s Shadow War(Merit Jensen Carr, Andy Blicq), which was broadcasted on CBC.
The award for Best Factual Program or Series went to Still Standing, a CBC program featuring host Jonny Harris as he travels across Canada to explore small towns and celebrate the people who call them home. The program is produced by Manitoba’s Frantic Films (Jamie Brown, Catherine Legge, Jeff Peeler).
The locally-lensed sketch comedy program Sunnyside (City TV) took home two awards including Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble) and Best Photography in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series. The series is co-produced by Manitoba production company, Buffalo Gal Pictures (Phyllis Laing, Rhonda Baker).
Hyena Road, the locally-shot Paul Gross film, took home three awards including Achievement in Overall Sound, Achievement in Sound Editing and Achievement in Visual Effects. The film was co-produced by Buffalo Gal Pictures (Phyllis Laing, Rhonda Baker).
Manitoba-made projects were nominated for a total of 27 Canadian Screen Awards this year, including a Best Motion Picture nomination for Guy Maddin’sForbidden Room.
“The caliber of all the nominees was very high and On Screen Manitoba is proud of the 27 nominations and 7 awards taken home by Manitoba Productions,” said Nicole Matiation, Executive Director of On Screen Manitoba. “The strong showing in both film and television categories, for documentary, fiction and lifestyle demonstrates the diversity of experience and talent in Manitoba and confirms that Manitoba producers, along with the writers, directors, crew and actors that work with them, are among the best in the country.”
Manitoba has over 40 active production companies working in all formats and genres, including one of the country’s leading Aboriginal production companies (Eagle Vision Inc.) and one of the largest Francophone production companies outside of Québec (Productions Rivard).
Each year, an average of $100 million worth of production takes place in Manitoba, generating over 1,300 full time jobs and an average annual GDP impact of over $70 million. This is achieved through provincial government investments that represent just 15% of the total production volume.