Bell Media and Its Partners Receive 48 Awards at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards

TORONTO (May 21, 2021) – Bell Media congratulates its production partners, team members, and talent on their extraordinary achievements at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards. With a total of 48 awards across television, digital, and film, Bell Media continues to be recognized for its commitment in championing and creating exceptional and engaging original Canadian content. Delivered through virtual presentations during Canadian Screen Week, Bell Media was honoured with 29 Canadian Screen Awards in the television categories, more than any other private broadcaster. 19 awards went to Bell Media-supported feature films, including a leading seven wins for Blood Quantum, five for Akilla’s Escape, and Best Motion Picture for Beans. Several of these titles are available now for streaming on Crave. “We are inspired by the accomplishments of the creatives who continue to produce the very best Canadian series, content, and films,” said said Karine Moses, Senior Vice-President, Content Development & News, Bell Media. “We are proud of the industry-leading content that Bell Media and its production partners have produced this year, telling diverse and compelling stories across our news, scripted, factual, reality, and lifestyle programs.” Resonating with audiences across the country, the first season of CTV’s hit series TRANSPLANT from Sphere Media, in association with CTV and NBCUniversal International Studios, garnered four awards, including Best Drama Series, Best Writing, Drama Series (Joseph Kay), Best Direction, Drama Series (Holly Dale), and Best Lead Actor, Drama Series for Hamza Haq. The fourth and final season of acclaimed CTV Original drama series CARDINAL, from Sienna Films and eOne in association with CTV, secured a total of three awards, including Best Photography, Drama (Steve Cosens) and Best Picture Editing, Drama (Sandy Pereira). For the second consecutive year, CTV Original series MARY’S KITCHEN CRUSH, from Proper Television, took home awards for Best Lifestyle Program or Series and Best Host, Lifestyle for series host Mary Berg. Popular Crave series CANADA’S DRAG RACE, from Saloon Media/Blue Ant Studios, received five awards, including Best Reality/Competition Program or Series; Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition; Best Direction, Reality/Competition, Best Writing, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition, and Best Production Design or Art Direction, Non-Fiction. The Crave Original stand-up special AISHA BROWN: THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER won for Best Variety or Entertainment Special. CTV Comedy Channel’s smash-hit original series CORNER GAS ANIMATED, from Vérité Films, Sparrow Media, and Aslan Entertainment, won in two noteworthy categories including Best Animated Program or Series for a second year in a row; and Best Performance, Animation for series star Lorne Cardinal. CTV News received four awards, with CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LISA LAFLAMME once again receiving Best National Newscast for the fourth year in a row, and Lisa LaFlamme being recognized as Best News Anchor, National. W5 was awarded two wins this year, including Best News or Information Program, and Best Photography, News or Information. YOUR MORNING, CTV’s national weekday morning show, was honoured with Best Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series, for “Your Kids, Their Question: A Your Morning Coronavirus Special”, featuring hosts Ben Mulroney, Anne-Marie Mediwake, Lindsey Deluce, and Kelsey McEwen; while Jann Arden took home the award for Best Host, Talk Show or Entertainment News for the CTV special JANN ARDEN ONE NIGHT ONLY. Ranked among the most-watched events of 2020, the inspirational special STRONGER TOGETHER, a joint production between Insight Productions Ltd. and Bell Media Studios, received two wins, including Best Entertainment News Program or Series, and Best Picture Editing, Reality/Competition. Bell Media-supported films won 19 awards, led by Blood Quantum, which secured seven awards including Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Michael Greyeyes, and Achievement in Editing. Akilla’s Escape was recognized with five awards, including Original Screenplay and Achievement in Cinematography, and Michelle Pfeiffer was honoured with Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for French Exit, and Beans took home Best Motion Picture. Bell Media’s premium streaming service Crave was honoured with the Industry Leadership Award for its innovation and leadership in Canada’s media industry. The full list of Bell Media television and film wins includes: TELEVISION, DIGITAL, AND FILM WINS (48) CTV Original Programming (13) TRANSPLANT (CTV) (4) Sphere Media Best Drama Series Jocelyn Deschênes, Bruno Dubé, Joseph Kay, Randy Lennox, Virginia Rankin, Jeremy Spry, Tara Woodbury Best Lead Actor, Drama Series Hamza Haq Best Direction, Drama Series “Pilot” – Holly Dale Best Writing, Drama Series “Pilot” – Joseph Kay CARDINAL (CTV) (3) Sienna Films, Entertainment One Best Guest Performance, Drama Series “Scott” – Shawn Doyle Best Photography, Drama “Robert” – Steve Cosens Best Picture Editing, Drama “Scott” – Sandy Pereira CORNER GAS ANIMATED (CTV Comedy Channel) (2) Verite Films, Sparrow Media, Aslan Entertainment Best Animated Program or Series Brent Butt, Virginia Thompson, David Storey, Andrew Carr, Marilyn McAuley, Robert de Lint, Jonas Diamond, Jensenne Roculan, Randy Lennox Best Performance, Animation Lorne Cardinal STRONGER TOGETHER (CTV) (2) Insight Productions Ltd. Best Entertainment News Program or Series John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, Randy Lennox, Mike Cosentino, Tyson Parker, Barbara Williams, Sally Catto, Jennifer Dettman, Erin Brock, Mark Lysakowski, Pam de Montmorency, Mike Langevin, Rose Marra Best Picture Editing, Reality/Competition Andrew Gurney, Al Manson, Jeff Perry, Ken Yan MARY’S KITCHEN CRUSH (CTV) (2) Proper Television Best Lifestyle Program or Series Cathie James, Lesia Capone, Allison Grace, Garrett Wintrip Best Host, Lifestyle Mary Berg Crave Original Programming (10) CANADA’S DRAG RACE (5) Bell Media, Saloon Media/Blue Ant Studios Best Reality/Competition Program or Series Michael Kot, Laura Michalchyshyn, Betty Orr, Mike Bickerton, Pam McNair, RuPaul Charles, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Randy Lennox, Tracey Pearce Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Stacey McKenzie Best Direction, Reality/Competition “U Wear It Well” – Shelagh O’Brien Best Writing, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition “Welcome to the Family” – Mike Bickerton, Elvira Kurt, Jen Markowitz Best Production Design or Art Direction, Non-Fiction “Eh-Laganza Eh-Xtravaganza” – Peter Faragher AISHA BROWN: THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER (1) Bell Media, Just Pour Rire TV Inc. Best Variety or Entertainment Special Bruce Hills, Aisha Brown, Anton Leo, Blake Gregory, Brent Schiess GLASS HOUSES (2) Bell Media, Incendo Best Direction, TV Movie Sarah Pellerin Best Writing, TV Movie Barbara Kymlicka ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND (1) Bell Media, White Pine Pictures Best Sound, Non-Fiction Chris Jenkins, Sal Ojeda, Dave Draper, Alejandro Ramos Ariansen, Paul Corscadden, Brian Bentz, Max Phillips, Liam Able, Robert Carr, Robert Cooper, Michael Novitch, Stephan Carrier, Scott Hitchon, Paolo Amati THE LEAD (1) Bell Media, Incendo Best Lead Performance, TV Movie Kim Shaw Bell Media Studios (2) JANN ARDEN ONE NIGHT ONLY (CTV) (1) Best Host, Talk Show or Entertainment News Jann Arden YOUR MORNING (CTV) (1) Best Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series “Your Kids, Their Question: A Your Morning Coronavirus Special” – Jennifer MacLean, John Kampilis, Jennifer McLarty, Jonathan Lall, Chris Perez CTV News (4) W5 (CTV) (2) Best News or Information Program “The Invisible Man” Best Photography, News or Information “The Survivors” – Jerry Vienneau CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LISA LAFLAMME (CTV) (2) Best National Newscast Best News Anchor, National Lisa LaFlamme Feature Films supported by Crave, SUPER ÉCRAN, and The Harold Greenberg Fund / Fonds Harold Greenberg (19) Blood Quantum (7) *currently available for streaming on Crave Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Michael Greyeyes Achievement in Art Direction / Production Design Louisa Schabas, Sylvain Lemaitre Achievement in Costume Design Noémi Poulin Achievement in Editing Jeff Barnaby Achievement in Make-Up Erik Gosselin, Joan-Patricia Parris, Jean-Michel Rossignol, Nancy Ferlatte Achievement in Visual Effects Joshua Sherrett, Barbara Rosenstein, Ibi Atemie, David Atexide, Juan Carlos Ferrá, Alex Flynn, Andrei Gheorghiu, Felix Sherrett-Brown, Ali Hamidikia, Tony Wu Best Stunt Coordination Jean Frenette, Jean-François Lachapelle Akilla’s Escape (5) Original Screenplay Charles Officer, Wendy Brathwaite Achievement in Casting Nicole Hilliard-Forde Achievement in Cinematography Maya Bankovic Achievement in Sound Editing David McCallum, David Rose, Krystin Hunter Achievement in Sound Mixing Graham Rogers, James Bastable, Brad Dawe Beans (2) Best Motion Picture Anne-Marie Gélinas John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award Tracey Deer French Exit (1) Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Michelle Pfeiffer Sugar Daddy (2) Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Colm Feore Achievement in Music Marie-Hélène L. Delorme – “Timid Joyous Atrocious” My Salinger Year (1) *streaming this summer on Crave Achievement in Hair Michelle Côté Hot Flash (1) *currently available for streaming on Crave Best Animated Short Thea Hollatz, Kristy Neville, Matt Code, Morghan Fortier, Brett Jubinville