The lack of shock is valid; our filmmakers, performers, writers and others in the industry have a unique talent that doesn’t go unnoticed — and a pile of it.
The 2017 nominations were released earlier this week, with more than 30 of them going to artists from this province or the TV programs and films they’ve created.
Two of filmmaker Barbara Doran’s projects made the nominee list, representing a year that was particularly successful for Doran and her company, Morag Loves Company. “Boundaries/Pays,” co-produced by Doran with an all-female crew, saw Natalie Doumar nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, while “Newfoundland at Armageddon,” a feature-length documentary that followed descendants of members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment as they recreated their ancestors’ roles in Beaumont-Hamel, is nominated for Best History Documentary Program or Series and Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Factual Series.
Two actors from Justin Oakey’s film “Riverhead,” a gritty tale of rural divide, earned nominations: Lawrence Barry of Grand Falls is vying for the award for Best Performance from an Actor in a Leading Role, while Evan Mercer of Shearstown is nominated for Best Performance from an Actor in a Supporting Role.
“Riverhead” was shot last year in areas around St. John’s, Bauline and Conception Bay North, and debuted in the fall at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax.
“Two Newfoundlanders have never been up for the top actor honours in the history of the Canadian Screen Awards,” Oakey said.
“Frontier,” Take the Shot Productions’ historical drama chronicling the 1700s fur trade, is leading the pack when it comes to local nominations, earning a total of seven: Best Direction in a Dramatic Series (for Gander native Brad Peyton), two nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (Jason Momoa and Landon Liboiron), Best Achievement in Casting, Best Achievement in Makeup, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Program or Series.
CBC favourite “This Hour has 22 Minutes” also received a handful of nominations, as it usually does, in the Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series categories: best photography, best directing, best writing, best performance — for Mark Critch, Cathy Jones, Susan Kent, Shaun Majumder and Meredith MacNeill — as well as Best Variety or Sketch Comedy or Series overall.
“Still Standing,” which sees local comedian/actor Jonny Harris visiting rural communities across the country and embedding himself for a few days before writing and hosting a standup comedy show based on his experience, earned nominations for Best Factual Program or Series, as well as best host, best writing and best direction in the same category.
Other nominations include (but aren’t limited to):
• “Rick Mercer Report”: Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series, Best Directing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series, Best Photography in a Variety or Sketch Program or Series, Best Picture Editing in a Variety or Sketch Program or Series
• “Sensitive Skin”: Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series (Mary Walsh)
• “Gun Runners” (executive producer Annette Clarke): Best Cinematography in a Feature-Length Documentary
• “Here and Now” (CBC News): Best Local Newscast
• “Here and Now” (CBC News): Best News Anchor Local (Debbie Cooper, Jonathan Crowe, Ryan Snoddon)
• “Beaumont-Hamel 100th” (CBC News): Best News Special
• “Canada’s Worst Driver”: Best Writing in a Lifestyle or Reality/Competition Program or Series (Andrew Younghusband)
A full list of award nominees can be found online at www.academy.ca .
Montreal director Xavier Dolan’s Oscar-nominated film “It’s Only the End of the World” and TV series ‘Orphan Black’ lead the nominee for the 2017 awards with nine and 14 nominations respectively.
The awards show will happen at Toronto’s Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on March 12, where actor Christopher Plummer will receive a lifetime achievement award.
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