Bell Media applauds its production partners, internal team members, talent, and all those involved in the creation of MADE®-in-Canada productions nominated for the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards. Announced earlier today, Bell Media garners 181 total nominations, comprising 104 television and digital nominations and 77 nominations for Bell Media-supported films.
CTV is the proud Platinum Partner of the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, and the title sponsor of the Lifestyle & Reality and Creative Arts & Performance galas. The Canadian Screen Awards take place during Canadian Screen Week (May 17-20), via a series of Virtual Awards Presentations.
“Bell Media is proud to support the Canadian talent and creatives who help to shape our national culture, and we are thrilled to see so many of our partners recognized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television,” said Karine Moses, Senior Vice-President, Content Development & News, Bell Media. “Congratulations to all the nominees.”
Bell Media nominations across original programming, films, and specials include:
- CTV’s celebrated award-winning original series CARDINAL receives 15 nominations for its fourth and final season, the most to date for the series, including Best Drama Series, as well as Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress for Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse. CARDINAL won seven awards at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Dramatic Series.
- Season 1 of hit CTV Original drama series TRANSPLANT, the biggest new Canadian drama since 2015, receives six nominations and is recognized for Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actor, Drama Series for Hamza Haq, and Best Direction, Drama Series for Holly Dale.
- CTV’s Original comedy series JANN receives four nominations, including two separate nods for Best Writing, Comedy; the all-Canadian special STRONGER TOGETHER grabs three nominations; and CTV Original series MARY’S KITCHEN CRUSH secures two nominations including Best Host, Lifestyle for Mary Berg, for the second year in a row.
- Crave scores its record number of nominations to date with 30 nods for its original productions. Leading the runway with seven nominations in its inaugural season is CANADA’S DRAG RACE including a nomination in Best Achievement in Casting, the only reality series to receive a nod in this category; multiple award-winning series LETTERKENNY receives six nominations including its fifth nomination for Best Comedy Series; the Crave Original stand-up special AISHA BROWN: THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER receives three nods including Best Variety or Entertainment Special, and NEW EDEN receives two nominations including Best Direction, Comedy for Aleysa Young.
- CTV Comedy Channel’s multiple award-winning series CORNER GAS ANIMATED garners five nods including Best Animated Program or Series, Best Performance, Animation, and three separate nominations in the Best Writing, Animation category.
- CTV Sci-Fi Channel’s fan-favourite series WYNONNA EARP takes five nominations including Best Lead Actress, Drama Series, for Canadian lead Melanie Scrofano, and Best Writing, Drama Series for Emily Andras.
- Bell Media Studios series and specials are nominated for 17 awards, with ETALK leading the way with four, including Best Entertainment News Program or Series. Three nods were given to CTV’s JANN ARDEN ONE NIGHT ONLY, including Best Variety or Entertainment Special; two for DRAG BALL PRESENTED BY CRAVE for Best Host, Web Program or Series for Traci Melchor, and Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series. THE SOCIAL and YOUR MORNING each receive two nominations including Best Talk Program or Series and Best Morning Show, respectively, and THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW receives one nomination for Best Talk Program or Series. Additionally, the digital special, #BELLLETSTALKLIVE, received one nomination for Best Live Production, Social Media; CTV Life’s DOUBLE YOUR DISH cooks up one nomination for Best Direction, Lifestyle or Information; and Crave’s HEALTHY IS HOT is recognized in the Best Photography, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition category.
- CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LISA LAFLAMME is recognized with four nominations, including Best National Newscast and Best News Anchor, National for Chief News Anchor Lisa LaFlamme, receiving nominations in these categories for the ninth and eighth consecutive year, respectively. Toronto’s CTV NEWS AT SIX anchor Michelle Dubé and new co-anchor Nathan Downer are recognized in the Best Anchor, Local category; W5 receives five nods, including Best News or Information Series and Best Host or Interviewer, News or Information for host Avery Haines; POWER PLAY is nominated for Best Talk Program or Series; and CP24 BREAKFAST is nominated for Best Morning Show.
- Bell Media supported feature films receive 77 nods, with an outstanding 10 nominations for Blood Quantum including Original Screenplay and Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Michael Greyeyes; Akilla’s Escape earns eight nominations, including Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Saul Williams, and Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for both Thamela Mpumlwana and Ronnie Rowe, Jr.; and Beans receives five nominations including a nod for Best Motion Picture. Souterrain secures four nods in the Best Motion Picture, Achievement in Direction, Original Screenplay, and Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Joakim Robillard) categories; and La Déesse des mouches à feu receives three nominations including a nod to Quebec screenwriter Catherine Léger in the Adapted Screenplay category.
The presentations will also honour the 2020 Special Award recipients during CTV’s Canadian Screen Awards – Creative Arts & Performance presentation, taking place virtually on Wednesday, May 19. Recipients include Bell Media’s premium streaming service Crave (Industry Leadership Award), for its innovation and leadership in Canada’s media industry; and Anton Koschany, Executive Producer of CTV News’ acclaimed documentary program W5 (Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism), for his exceptional body of work in television journalism.