By Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press on March 6, 2024.
Actors Darla Contois (left) and Lisa Edelstein from the Crave and APTN collection “Little Bird” are proven in a handout photograph. Crave unique collection “Little Bird” dominates this yr’s Canadian Screen Award nominations with 19 nods, whereas Matt Johnson’s “BlackBerry” takes the lead within the movie class with 17. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-APTN, CRAVE, *MANDATORY CREDIT*Even after 35 years within the business, Toronto showrunner and actress Jennifer Podemski says she was “totally beside herself” to see her collection “Little Bird” lead the Canadian Screen Awards nominations.
Her Crave/APTN collection about an Indigenous lady’s seek for her beginning household obtained 19 nods from the Academy of CanadianCinema and Television on Wednesday.
“I’ve gone to a couple decades of awards shows where there really was no Indigenous representation, if not a few decades,” stated Podemski, whose performing credit embrace FX’s “Reservation Dogs” and who produced the 2013 movie “Empire of Dirt,” which she additionally starred in.
“It feels like the impact of this is already going to be felt because it will create space for others, and it will probably inspire others to stay the course.”
Podemski stated she’s overwhelmed to see an Indigenous-led present dominate the nominations.
“After all the things I’ve heard in my career about how hard it is to tell these stories and get them on screen, it just makes it worthwhile.”
Centred on a ’60s Scoop survivor fostered right into a Jewish household in Montreal, the six-part collection co-created by Podemski and Hannah Moscovitch encompasses a largely Indigenous forged and inventive staff.
“Little Bird” obtained nods for finest drama collection, finest drama efficiency for stars Darla Contois and Ellyn Jade, and finest drama path for Zoe Leigh Hopkins and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, amongst different nominations.
It’s up towards CBC’s “Essex County” and “Plan B,” Hollywood Suite’s “Slasher: Ripper” and CTV’s “Transplant” for finest drama collection.
Podemski, who’s of blended Anishinaabe and Jewish descent, stated “Little Bird” seems like “a very personal story,” particularly as a result of her mom Joanna S. Anaquod and aunt Sharon Anaquod each labored on the collection and obtained nominations for finest visible analysis.
“Seeing their names on that category is really emotional to me because my community helped me make this,” she stated.
Podemski stated creating “Little Bird,” which was shot in the course of the pandemic amid “an apocalyptic winter in Manitoba,” was probably the most tough factor she’s ever skilled.
“It feels like we got to the other side of a very difficult journey, and not just the journey of making this, but the journey of what so many people have gone through in their life, reckoning with the impacts of being stolen from your community and from your identity,” she stated.
“BlackBerry,” helmed by Toronto director Matt Johnson, leads the movie classes with 17 nods – together with for finest image and achievement in path – turning into probably the most nominated film within the historical past of the 11-year-old Canadian Screen Awards, based on organizers.
Johnson stated he’s blissful for that distinction solely as a result of it will increase his “political power” to make modifications inside Canadian showbusiness, together with eradicating limitations for filmmakers making their first options.
“I’ve been openly anxious about being brought to the centre of the Canadian film industry, mostly because I’m much more comfortable being an outsider,” he stated.
“But as long as it allows me to put further influence on the system to make it more accessible to young people, I think it’s nothing but good. I’m old enough now where I feel like any kind of accolades that I get publicly are just more fuel for these big changes that I think are deeply necessary.”
Johnson stated that previously, he and “BlackBerry” producer Matthew Miller, whom he’s labored with since his 2013 directorial debut “The Dirties,” utilized to Telefilm and the CBC to fund a number of tasks however by no means acquired wherever as a result of “it was difficult for those institutions to see at that time how we would fit the Canadian model.”
Johnson stated they satisfied each Telefilm and the CBC to fund “BlackBerry” as a result of it “was about something so big and Canadian that they got behind it.”
“We’ve been on this nearly 20-year journey from the fringes of this industry to somehow getting all this acclaim. It’s quite surreal for us,” Miller added.
Set in Nineties Waterloo, Ont., their movie follows the dramatic rise and fall of the BlackBerry cell gadget and its inventors. Jay Baruchel has been nominated for finest efficiency in a comedy main function for his flip as firm co-founder Mike Lazaridis, whereas Glenn Howerton, who performs co-CEO Jim Balsillie, and Johnson, who performs co-founder Doug Fregin, are each up for finest supporting function in a comedy.
“BlackBerry” is competing with “Solo,” “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person,” “Infinity Pool,” “Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges)” and “Richelieu” for finest movement image.
Toronto-born “Infinity Pool” director Brandon Cronenberg stated he’s excited to see his “very weird” sci-fi horror movie – a few couple whose trip on an remoted island resort turns into a vacation from hell – get nominated.
“It’s definitely strange, but then again, the history of Canadian film is very weird. If you look at how much of our industry was built on the tax-shelter films of the ’80s, Canadian film comes from, a very strange, outsider place,” he stated.
He’s blissful to see a number of out-of-the-box movies get nominated this yr.
“If there’s something that we do well in Canada, it’s unconventional filmmaking. I think it’s good for a big awards show like the CSAs to be recognizing a wide range of films like this.”
In the movie classes, Quebec director and screenwriter Ariane Louis-Seize’s “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” secured 12 nominations, whereas Cronenberg’s “Infinity Pool” adopted with 11.
Louis-Seize’s French-language dramedy – a few delicate teenage vampire who types a bond with a depressed boy – is up for achievement in path and finest unique screenplay. The finest movie director race pits Johnson, Louis-Seize and Cronenberg towards Henri Pardo for “Kanaval,” Pascal Plante for “Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges)” and Sophie Dupuis for “Solo.”
In the TV class, different main nominees embrace the ultimate seasons of CBC comedies “Sort Of” and “Workin’ Moms,” boasting 18 and 12 nods, respectively.
“Sort Of,” a dramedy a few gender-fluid Pakistani Canadian millennial balancing numerous identities, is up for finest path and finest writing in a comedy. The present is up towards Crave’s “Bria Mack Gets A Life” and “Letterkenny,” CBC’s “Son of a Critch” and “Workin’ Moms,” and CTV’s “Shelved” for finest comedy collection.
“The Drop,” Narcity’s first absolutely scripted YouTube present, and the CBC Gem collection “How to Fail as a Popstar,” primarily based on Vivek Shraya’s hit play and subsequent e-book, lead digital media nominations with 5 every.
The 156 trophies celebrating the very best in Canadian movie, tv and digital media might be handed out in a collection of award reveals main as much as a gala hosted by comic Mae Martin on May 31, which is able to air on CBC and CBC Gem just a few hours later.
It’s the second consecutive yr the celebration gained’t be broadcast reside.
Traditionally, the Screen Awards have been a star-studded reside occasion in entrance of an viewers. Tammy Frick, the CEO of the Academy, stated pre-taping permits the gala to spotlight extra “industry-heavy” parts that may overwhelm a TV viewers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed March 6, 2024.
