Movie Notes

Maudie, Kim's Convenience, Ava, Alias Grace, and Rumble among major winners at Canadian Screen Awards

by Charlie Smith on March 11th, 2018 at 7:48 PM
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      Canada's diversity was in the spotlight at this year's Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto.

      That's because tonight, major prizes went to immigrants from the Korean peninsula, West Africa, and Iran.

      Boost's Nabil Rajo won the Canadian Screen Award for performance by an actor in a leading role for playing a teenage car thief in Montreal.

      He moved to Canada at the age of six from Eritrea. 

      Ava, directed by Sadaf Foroughi, who won for best first feature film.

      The 41-year-old Iranian-born, Montreal-based filmmaker chronicled teenage rebellion in Iran, capturing nine nominations.

      Ava's Bahar Nourian won best actress in a supporting role.

      In her acceptance speech, she said thank you "for all the women".

      Watch the trailer for Ava.

      The best TV comedy series was Kim's Convenience, which is about a family of Korean Canadians who own a grocery store. 

      One of its stars, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, won his second straight Canadian Screen Actor award for best actor in a comedy series.

      Lee, who plays the father, was born in Daejeon, South Korea.

      Paul Sun-Hyung Lee won his second consecutive Canadian Screen Award for best actor in a comedic series.

      "Representation matters," Lee said. "When we set this example and audiences see themselves reflected, it makes a big difference."

      Kim's Convenience's Andrew Phung also won for best supporting or guest actor in a comedy.

      Meanwhile, Catherine Bainbridge's Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World won for best feature-length documentary, as well as best cinematography and best editing in a feature-length documentary.

      The film explored the largely untold story of Indigenous influence on North American music.

      Sally Hawkins won the Canadian Screen Award for her portrayal of painter Maud Lewis.

      Maudie's big night

      The Canadian Screen Award for best motion picture went to Maudie, starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke.

      Hawkins won for best performance by an actress in a leading role for playing the title role of Nova Scotia painter Maud Lewis. And Hawke won forr performance by an actor in a supporting role.

      In addition, Aisling Walsh won for best achievement in directing for Maudie.

      The Canadian-Irish coproduction's screenwriter, Sherry White, won for best original screenplay, Stephen O'Connell won for achievement in editing, and Trysha Bakker won for costume design.

      The Breadwinner won for best original song for "The Crown Sleeps", by Qais Essar and Joshua Hill, as well as for adapted screenplay (Anita Doron), sound editing, and original score (Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna).

      But three major Quebec films nominated for best motion picture—Les Affamés (The Ravenous), La Petite Fille Qui Amait Trop Les Allumettes (The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches), and C'est Le Coeur Qui Meurt en Dernier (It's the Heart that Dies Last)—missed winning big awards.

      Les Affamés (The Ravenous) was recognized for best achievement in makeup.

      However, veteran Quebec director and screenwriter François Girard's Hochelaga Terre Des Âmes, which is about a Mohawk archeologist searching for his ancestors, had more success.

      It captured awards for cinematography (Nicolas Bolduc), art direction (François Séguin), visual effects, and overall sound.

      Take a Walk on the Wild Side , which profiled the Toronto cross-dressing store Wildside, was honoured as the best short documentary.

      Alias Grace in the spotlight

      Alias Grace, a miniseries based on a Margaret Atwood novel, won for best limited series or program. It was adapted by Canadian director Sarah Polley. 

      Alias Grace's Sarah Gadon won as best lead actress in a dramatic program or limited series. And Atwood won the Academy board of directors' tribute award.

      The Canadian Screen Award for best drama series went to Anne.

      The Donald Brittain Award for best social/political documentary program was captured by The Secret Path, which was the documentary about 12-year-old Charlie Wenjack, who died after he ran away from a residential school near Kenora, Ontario. The animated film was inspired by Gord Downie's music and Jeff Lemire's illustrations.

      Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany won the Canadian Screen Award for best lead actress, drama series.

      Best lead actress in a comedy series went to Catherine O'Hara for her work in Schitt's Creek.

      Alexander Ludwig, who stars in Vikings, won as best lead actor in a dramatic series.

      Cardinal's Billy Campbell was chosen as best lead actor in a dramatic program or limited series.

      The award for best performance for sketch comedy went went to Baroness von Sketch Show, starring Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeil, Aurora Browne, and Jennifer Whalen.

      Murdoch Mysteries took the Golden Screen Award for TV drama or comedy.

      The Amazing Race Canada received the Golden Screen Award for TV reality show, as well as the best reality/competition program or series.

      Elise Bauman accepts the audience choice award at the Canadian Screen Awards.

      Elise Bauman, who starred as a lesbian vampire in The Carmilla Movie, won as the fan favourite.

      The film was launched as a web series before graduating to the big screen.

      Other honours went to Rick Mercer (Academy Icon Award), Clark Johnson (Earle Grey Award), and Peter Mansbridge (Lifetime Achievement Award).

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