The ceremony was virtual, but the achievements of Nova Scotia’s film and television industry are all too real as local productions gaining worldwide attention were honoured at the sixth annual Screen Nova Scotia Awards on Friday night. The presentations in each category were posted on the Screen Nova Scotia Vimeo page.
After winning multiple awards at home and abroad, writer/director Heather Young’s indie drama Murmur was recognized for its emotionally charged story of a lonely, troubled woman who begins bringing animals home while doing community service at a shelter. The Martha Cooley-produced film was presented with the Screen Nova Scotia Award for best feature film, as well as the Women in Film & Television - Atlantic best Nova Scotia director award for Young.
Screen Nova Scotia Awards - Best Feature Film from Screen Nova Scotia on Vimeo.
The second season of Pure, about the impact of the drug trade on a religious community, earned the best television series award, while cast member Cory Bowles was recognized for his performance as detective Jay Gates with the ACTRA Maritimes award for outstanding performance by an actor in a supporting male role.
The CBC series Diggstown was also a double award winner in the ACTRA Maritimes acting categories, with series star Vinessa Antoine’s role as champion lawyer Marcie Diggs named the outstanding performance by an actor in a lead or featured role and Gay Hauser receiving the award for outstanding performance by an actor in a supporting female role.
For his role as the drag queen Joan of Arkansas in Thom Fitzgerald’s acclaimed feature Stage Mother, Allister MacDonald won outstanding performance by an actor in a lead or featured male role.
“Celebrating projects and their makers at the Screen Nova Scotia Awards Gala feels particularly special this year,” said Screen Nova Scotia’s executive director Laura Mackenzie.
“While gathering to celebrate our community in person just wasn’t an option, we hope that all award winners, nominees, and industry members who contributed to the creation of a #NSFILMJOBS production paused for a moment tonight to acknowledge the combined grit and tenacity that drives these projects to world-class excellence.”
Friday’s notable wins also included best short film for Bretten Hannam’s Indigenous Two-Spirit drama Wildfire, which was recently adapted into his upcoming feature film Wildhood, due out in spring 2021, and best documentary for Conviction — an examination of the movement to find alternatives to prison — from the team of Teresa MacInnes, Ariella Pahlke and Nance Ackerman.
The region’s animation industry was also recognized, with Boomerang’s Care Bears: Unlock the Magic winning best animated series for Halifax’s Copernicus Studios.
Industry Champion Award - Shaun Clarke Tribute from Screen Nova Scotia on Vimeo.
For those working behind the scenes, the Industry Champion Award honoured the legacy of locations manager/scout and actor Shaun Clarke, and the 2020 Film Crew Excellence Award was a hat trick for siblings Elizabeth, Joanne and Robert Hagen, who have all worked on a number of high profile Nova Scotia productions, including the Stephen King-inspired series Chapelwaite now filming for Epix.
The 2020 Community Recognition Award went to the Chester-based Brian Shaw, Production Security team which has ensured film sets run smoothly for crews and communities on shows like Haven, Cavendish and Pure.
