Room has 11 nominations to lead a quality pack of films for the 4th annual Canadian Screen Awards. The Paul Gross Afghanistan war story Hyena Road comes in with 8 nominations and the French-Canadian drama Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers with 7 nods.
The Best Picture nominees are an intriguing mix: films from the 2015 Windsor International Film Festival (My Internship in Canada, Our Loved Ones); 2014 Windsor International Film Festival (Corbo, Felix and Meira); renown films in the United States (Brooklyn, Room); a film I've seen that few others have (Remember); and 3 films I know of, but haven't had a chance to see (The Demons, The Forbidden Room, Sleeping Giant).
Orphan Black, Mommy clean up at 3rd Canadian Screen Awards
Film
Here are the contenders from the major categories:
- Lead Actor: Maxim Gaudette (Our Loved Ones); Christopher Plummer (Remember); Rossif Sutherland (River); Jacob Tremblay (Room); Jasmin Geljo (The Waiting Room)
- Lead Actress: Leah Goldstein (Diamond Tongues); Hadas Yaron (Felix and Meira); Karelle Tremblay (Our Loved Ones); Céline Bonnier (The Passion of Augustine); Brie Larson (Room)
- Supporting Actor: Waris Ahluwalia (Beeba Boys); Tony Nardi (Corbo); Irdens Exantus (My Internship in Canada); Nick Serino (Sleeping Giant); Patrick Hivon (Ville-Marie)
- Supporting Actress: Balinder Johal (Beeba Boys); Mylène Mackay (Endorphine); Christine Beaulieu (The Mirage); Joan Allen (Room); Cynthia Ashperger (The Waiting Room)
- Direction: Philippe Lesage (The Demons); Maxime Giroux (Felix and Meira); Anne Émond (Our Loved Ones); Lenny Abrahamson (Room); Andrew Cividino (Sleeping Giant)
- Best picture: Brooklyn; Corbo; The Demons; Felix and Meira; The Forbidden Room; My Internship in Canada; Our Loved Ones; Remember; Room; Sleeping Giant.
Some personal observations:
- Lead Actor: Tremblay should be in this category based on the screen time he gets, but a 9-year-old in this category is a rare feat. Plummer was really good in his film. Gaudette had a strong performance, but not likely to break through here.
- Lead Actress: I've seen all these performances except for Leah Goldstein. Though Larson should take this category, Yaron was so good at being torn and vulnerable; the scene where she tries on blue jeans for the first time was wonderful. Bonnier straddled the line between authority figure and rebel so well. Tremblay had a lot to do, and pulled off everything well. This doesn't even count Pascale Bussières, one of my favorite Canadian actresses, who was the lead in The Demons.
- Supporting Actor: I've seen Nardi, Exantus, and Hivon in their films. While the other 2 did quite well, this award has to go to Exantus. My Internship in Canada was my favorite film at Windsor in 2015, and Exantus was a huge reason why that was so.
- Supporting Actress: I've seen Beaulieu and Allen in their films. They did lovely work, and you can see Allen winning just because Room was that good. I will keep an open mind in this category and see who the voters pick here.
- Direction: I've seen 3 of the 5 films and direction isn't always obvious. I would lean toward Giroux and Émond since they made beautiful, sensual films. Abrahamson obviously did wonderful work.
- Best picture: You figure Room will take this honor, but there are great nominees. Corbo was an intriguing look at the days of the FLQ in Quebec, Felix and Meira</em deservedly is the Oscars nominee. I've already extolled My Internship in Canada and really enjoyed Our Loved Ones. I want to see Sleeping Giant.
Breaking down 2015 WIFF Canadian films
2014 Windsor International Film Festival wrapup
Click here for the complete list of film nominees for the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards.
Television
Schitt's Creek and Orphan Black should top the TV nominees and they did. The CBC comedy got 14 nominations in TV and 1 in digital. Orphan Black was right behind with 13 nods.
The police drama 19-2 got 12 nominations, Mr. D checked in with 12 nominations, and The Book of Negroes has 12 overall nods: 11 nominations in television and 1 in digital.
Schitt's Creek is up for Best Comedy along with Mr. D; Mohawk Girls; Tiny Plastic Men; and Young Drunk Punk.
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I'm first in line to admit that Season 3 of Orphan Black paled in comparison to the first 2 seasons, but of the 13 nominations for Orphan Black, Best Drama is not on the list. The nominations went to 19-2 (Bravo!); Blackstone (APTN); Motive (CTV); Saving Hope (CTV); and X Company (CBC).
Tatiana Maslany, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Ari Millen received acting nods for Orphan Black. Millen clearly worked hard on Season 3 but his characters were so subtle we can't see a win here.
Tatiana Maslany (finally) gets Emmy nod for Orphan Black
Strange Empire was cancelled after a single season on CBC, but the show got 2 acting nominations. Aaron Poole (Best Actor) and Woody Jeffreys (Best Supporting Actor) got nods, but none from the women in the female-dominant dark Western series. From what I saw, Cara Gee was so good and deserved a nomination.
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Strange Empire is a prime example of where CBC needs to go
Literally 50% of the best actor and best actress nominees in comedy came from the 4 principal players on Schitt's Creek. Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy deserve their nods. Picking a winner will be tough. Chris Elliot, Emily Hampshire, and Jennifer Robertson all received supporting nods for the comedy.
Colm Feore is nominated for King Lear for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series. I saw this in a movie theatre in the States but this is in the television category. Still, it was an amazing performance.
Stratford bringing Shakespeare productions to the big screen
Click here for the complete list of television nominees for the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards.
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
CanadianCrossing.com television coverage
The Canadian Screen Awards gets a new host, Norm Macdonald. Andrea Martin hosted last year and Martin Short was the host for the first 2 CSA shows. This year's show will honour Short for his exceptional contribution to the Canadian film and TV industries.
The 2016 Canadian Screen Awards airs March 13 on CBC.
photos credit: CBC/Canadian Screen Awards
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