While gender inequality in screen industries may have garnered mainstream media attention in recent years, numerous organizations have been highlighting and addressing these issues for decades.

One local example is Women in Film and Television Vancouver (WIVTF), which held their 20th anniversary awards gala yesterday.

The WIFTV’s Spotlight Awards were held on July 2 at the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre in an evening hosted by actor and comedian Morgan Brayton.

Here’s a list of the winners.

Innovation Award

Amy Fox spearheaded The Switch: A Transgender Fantasy, the world’s first broadcast television sitcom with five transgender actors in lead roles.

Artistic Achievement

Award-winning Vancouver filmmakers Julia Ivanova, who is working on a film about the Trans Mountain pipeline (Pipeline in Paradise), and Ann Marie Fleming, whose animated film Window Horses won Best B.C. and Best Canadian Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival, were both named as recipients.

Iris Award

Shana Myara is the former director of programming for the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and currently obtains movie acquisitions for OUTtv.

Image Award

Filmmaking team Meeshelle Neal and Jax Smith are the creators of the multi-award-winning short film “Mental” (2017).

Leadership in Education Award

After fifteen years in casting, Natasha Tony developed curriculum in the IASTE union on workplace safety, diversity, and inclusion.

Newcomer Award

Mayumi Yoshida’s debut short film “Akashi” won seven awards including the Telus Storyhive 2016 Digital Shorts Grand Prize and the Matrix Award at the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival.

Outstanding Career

With over 30 years in film and television, Lily Hui is the executive producer of the A&E/Lifetime series UnReal and the producer of the ABC series Mistresses.

The Impact Award

The late Barb Cranmer was a documentary filmmaker whose works documents First Nations of Canada’s North Pacific Coast. Cranmer also served several terms as an elected council member for ‘Namgis First Nation.

Honoured Friend Award

Robert Wong is the vice-president at Creative BC and is a champion of inclusion, gender parity, and diversity.

Sharon Gibbon Award

Over the past five years,  Dawn McCormick has been coordinated volunteers for WIFTV events, including the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival, Martini Madness, and the Spotlight Awards.

Wayne Black Award

Suzanne Thompson is the current vice-president of sales at Encore Vancouver, is on the board of the Motion Picture Production Industry Association (MPPIA), and is the board chair for the Vancouver Post Production Alliance.

Please Adjust Your Set Award

Amanda Coles researched and investigated national film and television organizations and the impediments to gender equity and inclusion to provide analysis and data that helped launch new policies and programs to address these issues.

Woman of the Year

Secwepemc/Ktunaxa First Nations filmmaker Doreen Manuel is the director of the Bosa Centre for Film and Animation at Capilano University.