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Canadian Screen Awards wrap with massive night for ‘The Song of Names’ and 'Antigone'

The week also saw huge wins for 'Cardinal' and 'Schitt's Creek'
May 25, 2020 8:56 p.m. EST
May 29, 2020 6:15 p.m. EST
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It’s been an unprecedented yet compelling virtual week of celebrating la crème de la crème of Canadian film and television. Over the past four days talented writers, actors, directors and all of the other people who make viewing entertainment even possible were awarded Canadian Screen Awards during the industry’s trademark week. It just goes to show you that even in quarantine there’s a lot to celebrate in the Great White North.On May 28th the final film awards were announced via narrator Théodore Pellerin, and it was the Crave original film The Song of Names whose praises people were singing. The film, which will be available to stream on Crave this summer, is based on the novel of the same name by Norman Lebrecht, and stars Tim Roth and Clive Owen as childhood friends forever changed by the second world war. It walked away with a whopping five CSAs, including Achievement in Make-Up, Achievement in Music (original song and original score), Achievement in Sound Editing, and Achievement in Overall Sound. Clearly the movie was music to voters’ ears. That film wasn’t the final night’s only big winner though, as French language film Antigone, an adaptation of the ancient Greek play by Sophocles, also snagged an impressive five awards (and it's available to stream on Crave!) The story of a young immigrant’s life, whose world is turned upside down when her brother is arrested, won the trophies for Adapted Screenplay, Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Nahéma Ricci (and supporting role for Nour Belkhiria), Best Motion Picture, and Achievement in Editing. With 10 of the night’s 23 awards going to two films, the rest of the winners were pretty evenly split. Mark O’Brien took home Performance By An Actor in a Leading Role for his gig on Goalie, and Compulsive Liar won the Golden Screen Award for Feature Film. Meanwhile Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn’s TIFF selection, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open, won three trophies including Achievement in Direction and Best Original Screenplay. Last but not least The Twentieth Century, director Matthew Rankin’s reimagining of the formative years of Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, also brought home three CSAs for Achievement in Hair, Costume, and Art Direction. It was a packed presentation proving that there is indeed a lot to celebrate in Canadian film. Hopefully, those celebrations will resume in person when Canadian Screen Awards week return next year.THE BEST IN PRIMETIME TVIt was scripted television’s time to shine on the third night of Canadian Screen Awards week, as the virtual program shifted its focus to those who craft, act, and bring some of the country’s most beloved dramas and comedies to life. And coming in hot at the top of it all was CTV’s Cardinal.[video_embed id='1967516']WATCH: 'Cardinal’s Billy Campbell's CSA celebration included a diaper to the face.[/video_embed]The series recently wrapped its fourth and final season, and it’s safe to say the North Bay, Ont.-shot show went out in a blaze of glory. Nail-biting content aside, the show won an impressive seven CSAs on May 27, proving that Canada knows how to do gritty drama with the best of them. The show itself easily scored a Best Drama Series award, but leads Karine Vanasse and Billy Campbell both took home a trophy for Best Lead Actress and Actor in a drama series too. Meanwhile, supporting actress Kristen Thomson was recognized for her role as Sgt. Noelle Dyson, and the CSAs also doled out awards to the series for Best Picture Editing, Best Achievement in Makeup, and Best Writing in a drama series. If the cast weren’t all social distancing right about now it’s a sure bet they’d be out celebrating after a night like that.They weren’t the only cast with reason to celebrate on Night 3 though. Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney’s Letterkenny continued to slay in the Best Writing for a comedy category, while Tierney also pulled out a big W for Best Directing in a comedy. And then there was Schitt’s Creek, which also capped its farewell season with an impressive six wins.[video_embed id='1967515']WATCH: Catherine O'Hara delivers epic CSA acceptance speech.[/video_embed]Naturally, Catherine O’Hara was named Best Lead Actress for the fifth year in a row (she’s the Julia Louis-Dreyfus of the North), Eugene Levy grabbed Best Lead Actor, and Emily Hampshire was a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actress. But the series also won Best Achievement in Hair (we mean, Moira’s wigs alone…) and Best Achievement in Casting. Although to be fair genetics totally played into at least half of the leading actors on that particular series. (#LikeFatherLikeSon.)Fan favourite Anne with an E also came through on the crafty side with five notable wins, including Best Photography in a drama, Best Production Design or Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Original Music, and Best Guest Performance in a drama for actor Dalmar Abuzeid. Unfortunately, it sounds like there are some pretty talented people behind-the-scenes who are getting ready to put out their resumes now, since Netflix controversially cancelled the series late last year.THE BEST IN REALITY & LIFESTYLE TVMay 26 was a huge night for etalk, which took home the trophy for Best Entertainment News Program or Series. Hosted by anchors Ben Mulroney, Danielle Graham and Lainey, with senior correspondent Traci Melchor, reporters Chloe Wilde, Tyrone Edwards and Sonia Beeksma and L.A. correspondent Liz Trinnear, the show's on-air entertainment coverage has proven to be just as compelling, important (and relevant!) at home during the coronavirus pandemic as it has been in-studio.[video_embed id='1966398']WATCH: The etalk team celebrates CSA win.[/video_embed]Meanwhile, daytime hit The Social (weekdays @ 1p ET on CTV), hosted by Melissa Grelo, Marci Ien, Cynthia Loyst, Lainey and correspondent Jess Allen, earned the CSA for Best Talk Program or Series, reminding us all that live interaction with viewers through social media remains as timely as ever, especially during these current times, when Twitter or Instagram can prove to be a lifeline for so many of us.When it came to Night 2’s biggest winner though, that went to The Amazing Race Canada, hands down. The latest season of the series had everything—gorgeous Canadian filming locations, bona fide villains, and fan favourite winners. So it was no real surprise that the show took home a whopping six awards, including the Golden Screen Award for TV Reality Show, Best Reality/Competition Program or Series, and Best Host for host with the most, Jon Montgomery. The travelling series wasn’t the only multiple winner of the night, though. The inaugural season of former MasterChef Canada winner Mary Berg’s new must-watch cooking series, Mary’s Kitchen Crush (Sundays @ 7:30p ET on CTV), cooked up wins for Best Host and Best Lifestyle Program or Series. No word on whether Berg will cook up any CSA-themed goodies next year, but we wouldn’t put it past her. And then there was the ongoing success of Corner Gas Animated, which actually had a lot going on in 2019, despite what the catchy theme song would have you believe. Brent Butt and co. scored three impressive wins during the animation portion of the evening, including trophies for Best Performance (Butt) and Best Animated Program or Series. Of course it wouldn’t truly be the CSAs without a little bit of international flair. That came when The Comedy Network’s Trevor Noah @ JFL Volume II scored a huge win as the Best Variety or Entertainment Special on Tuesday night, proving that The Daily Show host continues to charm, no matter what country he’s in.As for the rest of those award-winning Canadian gems? Well those trophies will be given out on May 27 and May 28, as the virtual homegrown celebration during CSA week continues.THE BEST IN NEWS AND SPORTSThe first awards were given out May 25, starting with Sports, News, and Factual Series. It was a big night for the TSN gang, and in particular James Duthie and Matt Devlin. Their respective guidance during the 2019 Free Agent Frenzy and the Raptors’ claw-biting Game 6 win over the Golden State Warriors catapulted them to wins for Best Sports Anchor and Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer.TSN also took home a separate win for Best Live Sports Event for its coverage of Game 6 of the NBA Championship, reminding the entire 'We the North' of the time the 6ix did it in six. The award comes exactly one year after the Raptors won the eastern conference finals, and advanced to the NBA finals for the first time ever. Feeling nostalgic yet? Having the voice of the Raptors, Herbie Kuhn, on hand to virtually announce the winners certainly helped set that mood. Meanwhile, even though it’s been a while since Canadians have been able to enjoy hockey, the heartbreaking hockey doc 29 Forever (which traced the tragic 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash) also took centre stage when it won the award for Best Sports Program or Series. It was a good reminder for sports fans everywhere that #humboldtstrong absolutely still stands, even two years later.It wasn’t all sports on Night 1 though. Highlighting the importance of news—especially right about now—the CSAs kicked it all off earlier in the night with its news programing awards. And who better to helm a broadcast for such things than former CTV anchor Lloyd Robertson himself? The man came out of retirement to help introduce the winners, including a big win for those at his former stomping grounds when CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme brought it home for Best National Newscast.[video_embed id='1965720']WATCH: This live CSA acceptance speech interrupts CTV National News, and it’s awesome.[/video_embed]Also bringing home all of the important 411 awards? That would be W5. The program snagged a trophy for Best News or Information Programming for its “The Baby in the Snow” offering, while also celebrating new Best Host or Interviewer, News or Information, Avery Haines. Meanwhile, CTV News also came out on top of the Best Live News Special for its memorable D-Day Remembered: The 75th Anniversary.Last but not least, there were a handful of awards to dole out on the doc side of things, with Bell Media’s Disasters at Sea crashing in on a big win for Best Factual Series. Meanwhile the TSN women’s hockey doc Engraved on a Nation: On the Line nabbed two trophies: one for Best Picture Editing and one for Best Direction.[video_embed id='1955436']BEFORE YOU GO: What did 'Cardinal's Billy and Karine think about each other when they first met?[/video_embed]

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