A step forward for Canadian diversity at 2017 CSAs

Tatiana Maslany (above) walked away with two big statues at Sunday's Canadian Screen Awards gala in Toronto. That's three if you count the award that Orphan Black (below) snagged for its farewell season. Pretty good for a show that nobody in Canada picked up until BBC America did. Oh, Canada...

Other big winners were Montreal director Xavier Dolan's It's Only the End of the World, the Jesse Owens biopic Race and Letterkenny for best TV comedy series.

Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announces final 2015 Canadian Screen Awards winners

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is pleased to announce that 43 Canadian Screen Awards were presented tonight during the pre-show and the CBC Broadcast Gala, hosted LIVE by comedy legend Andrea Martin from the gorgeous Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.

“Tonight we celebrate our country’s brightest and best in film, television and digital media at the 2015 Canadian Screen Awards,” says Academy CEO Helga Stephenson. “We sincerely congratulate all of the nominees and winners. And we would especially like to thank the fans who voted for this year’s Fan’s Choice winner as well as the loyal fans who catapulated the most-watched drama and reality shows to win our new Golden Screen Awards for Television.”

“Our film, TV and digital media inform and entertain us – but more than that; they reflect who we are to one another and to the world,” says Academy Chair, Martin Katz. “We at the Academy are the only organization that reflects all the people working in our industries in front of and behind the camera, above and below the line – working in French and English across the country.”

Interview: Jonathan Robbins, star of Out With Dad

Out with Jonathan Robbins

by Allan Tong

Jonathan Robbins is dad in Out With Dad, the most successful Canadian web series today with over 24 million viewers across all platforms, averaging more than 300,000 views per month online, and attracting over 35,000 Subscribers on YouTube. The numbers are all the more impressive when you considered that the show is almost entirely audience-funded. The drama is about about teenager Rose coming of age and coming out of the closet with the support of her single father. At this Sunday's week's Canadian Screen Awards, Out With Dad is up for Best Original Program or Series produced for Digital Media – Fiction. Jonathan is also the creator of Clutch, a crime/thriller web series.

Chino Kino chatted with Jonathan at the start of CSA week in Toronto:

2015 Canadian Screen Awards – Winners in Drama, Children's or Youth, Comedy and Variety

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is pleased to announce that 48 Canadian Screen Awards were presented tonight in Drama, Children's or Youth, Comedy and Variety categories. This Canadian Screen Awards Gala was hosted tonight by comedian Darrin Rose at the Sheraton Centre Toronto.

"The Academy is honoured tonight to be able to recognize the creators and artists of Canada's favorite drama, comedy, and kids' television programming, that entertain and inspire us," says Academy Chair, Martin Katz.

"You - the producers, artists and craftspeople of the Canadian screen industry are critical to this country," says Helga Stephenson, Academy CEO. "The arts - and more specifically, our moving image arts- define us and connect us," she adds.

2015 Canadian Screen Awards – Winners in News & Sports, Documentary, Lifestyle, Reality and Digital Media

by Allan Tong

The first round of Canadian Screen Awards were handed out last night at a gala dinner, celebrating 46 categories in news, factual television and some digital media. The event was hosted by comedian Darrin Rose at the Sheraton Centre Toronto. Highlights include:

Our Man in Tehran which captured Best Direction in a Documentary Program by Drew Taylor and Larry Weinstein as well as best documentary program and Best Picture Editing in a Documentary Program or Series for Steve Weslak and Best Sound in that category. It won all five categories for which it was nominated.

HGTV's Income Property winning Best Lifestyle or Talk Program or Series and Best Direction in a Lifestyle/Practical Information Program or Series.

CBC News: Toronto capturing Best Local Newscast, including co-anchor Anne-Marie Mediwake (pictured here).