By Roxy Rowe
TORONTO – The 2014 Canadian Screen Awards marked the true end of awards season, one week following the Oscars. The ceremony kicked off in high gear and Hollywood elegance at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
Comedian Martin Short hosted the event, pulling no punches in his hilarious and sometimes jabbing opening monologue. He took plenty of jabs at easy targets like the unbelievably cold winter of 2014 as well as everybody’s favourite joke, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. He also took some witty pot shots at Rogers Mobile describing a large amount of money as a “weekend of roaming minutes”.
The veteran entertainer took a sexy turn with his musical performance “Uncle Marty” in which he welcomed all the female nominees who do not go home with a trophy to “come and cry on Uncle Marty’s shoulder”. He extended the offer to Jason Priestly as well. At the end of the number, he curled on the lap of a beautiful actress. Only Martin Short can get away with such a performance.
The A-list celebrities in attendance gave the show star power: Jay Baruchel [Goon, Tropic Thunder, This is The End], Vigo Mortensen [Lord of the Rings], Jessica Pare [Mad Men], Jason Priestly [Beverly Hills 90210], Maria Belo [Coyote Ugly], Meg Tilley [The Big Chill] and others.
A special presentation tribute was made to one of Canada’s highly renowned directors, David Cronenberg with a Lifetime Achievement Award. It was co-presented by Jay Baruchel who described Cronenberg as “weird and brilliant” and Vigo Mortensen who said that the proliferate director “does not have enough recognition for his work”.
Here are a few of the evening’s winners:
TELEVISION
Best Comedy Program or Series: “Call Me Fitz”
Best Performance by an Actor / Comedic Role: Jason Priestley
Best Performance by an Actress / Comedic Role: Tracy Dawson
Best Host: Michael Bublé (The Juno Awards 2013)
Best News Anchor: Lisa LaFlamme
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Rick Roberts
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Sook-Yin Lee
Best Reality Program: “Dragons’ Den”
Best Dramatic Series: “Orphan Black”
Best Performance by an Actor /Dramatic Role: Hugh Dillon
Best Performance by an Actress / Dramatic Role: Tatiana Maslany
FILM
Achievement in Direction: Denis Villeneuve – “Enemy”
Adapted Screenplay: Elan Mastai – “The F-Word”
Best Animated Short: “Subconscious Password”
Best Live Action Short Drama: “Noah”
Best Motion Picture: “Gabrielle”
Best Short Documentary: “Chi”
Original Screenplay: “Empire of Dirt”
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Gabriel Arcand
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Gordon Pinsent
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Gabrielle Marion-Rivard
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Sarah Gadon
Best Feature Length Documentary: “Watermark”
The Canadian Screen Awards, in its second year of amalgamation, recognizes achievement in motion picture, television and digital media production. The awards were previously known as the Gemini Awards and the Genie Awards respectively.
