Canadian TV dominates the Canadian Screen Awards coverage. The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television combined television and film a number of years back.
Perhaps the academy felt Canadian film alone wouldn't draw too much attention.
The Genie Awards recognised the best in Canadian cinema from 1980-2012. The Canadian Film Awards ran from 1949–1978 (the 1980 Genies covered 1979 films).
We wanted to spend a bit more time on the film side of the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards.
I've seen 7 of the 10 performances in the leading roles but only 4 of the supporting roles. 2 of the 4 supporting roles were in Kuessipan, a film that got some deserved recognition. Nour Belkhiria had a tiny role in Antigone and made the most of it. Rémy Girard was fun to watch in his film.
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers has a rare combination of being up for lead actress, director, and screenplay for The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open. When we say Canadians do a lot, this usually means writer/director. Tailfeathers and Violet Nelson are both up in the same category for the same film. As we noted yesterday, this category is extraordinary. I had some doubts on White Lie, but Kacey Rohl isn't one of those doubts.
I do feel bad for Anne at 13,000 ft, which nabbed 4 major CSA nominations. I don't feel bad for the film but not having access to the film. I likely would have seen that at TIFF. Unfortunately, Canadian awards don't improve the chances of seeing a film.
Anne with an E, Schitt's Creek dominate 2020 Canadian Screen Awards nominations
Schitt's Creek, Anne with an E lead TV nominations for 2019 Canadian Screen Awards
Schitt's Creek, Anne with an E win big at 7th Canadian Screen Awards
Original Screenplay
Jonas Chernick, Jeremy LaLonde James vs His Future Self
Anne Émond Jeune Juliette
Kathleen Hepburn, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open
Matthew Rankin The Twentieth Century
Yonah Lewis, Calvin Thomas White Lie
Adapted Screenplay
Louise Archambault And the Birds Rained Down | Il pleuvait des oiseaux
Sophie Deraspe Antigone
Denis Côté Ghost Town Anthology | Répertoire des villes disparues
Myriam Verreault, Naomi Fontaine Kuessipan
Guillaume De Fontenay, Guillaume Vigneault, Jean Barbe Sympathy for the Devil | Sympathie pour le diable
4 of the top 5 best picture nominees have screenplay nominations; the exception being Anne at 13,000 ft. Jonas Chernick is best known for My Awkward Sexual Adventure (with the wonderful Emily Hampshire) and The Border. I saw Jeune Juliette from Anne Émond; a good film but not her best work.
Denis Côté is talented but I have struggled in watching his films. And the Birds Rained Down | Il pleuvait des oiseaux and Kuessipan were beautifully told stories. I've seen 7 of the 10 nominated screenplays.
Best Feature Length Documentary
Alexandre le fou
If You Could Read My Mind
Invisible Essence: The Little Prince
nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up
Prey
I've seen If You Could Read My Mind and nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up. I would lean toward the latter of the two.
Best First Feature Film Award
Black Conflux
Mad Dog Labine
Murmur
Sympathy for the Devil | Sympathie pour le diable
The Twentieth Century
I've seen Murmur and The Twentieth Century. Those in New York City had a chance to see Black Conflux. Both of the ones I saw were really good but would lean toward The Twentieth Century.
Canada Now 2020 brings Canadian films to New York City
There was quite a bit of backlash last year over the complete dominance of French-Canadian films for Best Motion Picture.
In the last year, we did see A Colony | Une colonie and Genesis | Genèse. We also saw Firecrackers (Best Director Jasmin Mozaffari) and Slut in a Good Way | Charlotte a du fun (Best Original Screenplay Catherine Léger). I would like to see either Roman Duris Canadian film but would lean heavily toward The Great Darkened Days | La grande noirceur.
I have now seen 3 of the 5 best picture nominees from last year. A Colony | Une colonie was a really nice film. Genesis | Genèse was hit and miss but an interesting film. Family First | Chien de garde was dreadful. Still think Giant Little Ones was better than any of them.
The fact that the nominees were all French-Canadian did rankle some English Canadians. English Canada should look into Quebec films.
2019 WIFF Canadian films in review
Brandon Oakes was nominated for Diggstown this year and was nominated for Through Black Spruce last year. Crossing between TV and film isn't as easy in Canada. We've seen Caroline Dhavernas and Karine Vanasse do so but their TV gigs are generally 6 episodes a season.
Karen Robinson is nominated this year for Forgive Me and last year for Mary Kills People. She is highly versatile as she also does comedy on Schitt's Creek. Amanda Brugel wasn't nominated this year but has juggled her roles on Kim's Convenience, Workin' Moms, and the Handmaid's Tale, among others.
Tatiana Maslany won best actress in a drama and for film for Orphan Black and The Other Half in 2017. In 2014, Maslany won for Orphan Black and was nominated for the lead in Cas & Dylan.
CanadianCrossing.com film reviews
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
We have talked at length about Canadian films having access to Canadian theatres. The eligibility rules require films to have at least a consecutive week run in 2 major Canadian cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Saskatoon, St. John’s, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg.
The requirement for the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards runs from January 1, 2019 to March 29, 2020.
The eligibility rules changed in 2019. Previously, films needed a 1-week run in only a major city or accepted into 2 Academy-approved film festivals. (Curious if Windsor is one of those festivals.)
photos credit: The Body Remembers When the World Broken Open film; Canadian Screen Awards/CBC
Comments