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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg-born director wins big at Canadian Screen Awards
Matthew Rankin began his speech in Farsi, took a detour into French and wound back toward English when accepting the Canadian Screen Award for achievement in direction Sunday for Universal Language, a feature film set at a dreamy intersection connecting Winnipeg to Tehran. 'This is delightful,' Rankin told the crowd at CBC's Broadcast Centre in downtown Toronto. 'I'm from Winnipeg — I'm not accustomed to winning anything — so this is really weird and sweet and nice, so thank you very much.' It's a line that Rankin will now be forced to retire: with six wins — including original screenplay, editing, costume design, casting and art direction, handed out at Saturday's industry gala for cinematic arts — Universal Language, shot in Winnipeg and Montreal, was a repeat champion on Sunday night. Chris Young / The Canadian Press Matthew Rankin won as best director; his Universal Language took home five more awards. Based for several years in Quebec, which Rankin hailed as 'one of the last places where art and culture is thought of and defended as a public good,' the director, who also co-wrote and co-starred in the film, was quick to mention his upbringing at the Winnipeg Film Group, where as a teenager he enrolled in filmmaking workshops. 'I really want to take the opportunity to thank all the weirdos of the Winnipeg Film Group,' he said, later mentioning the late Cinematheque programmers Dave Barber and Jaimz Asmundson in a message shared with the Free Press. 'This is where I learned how to make movies in an artist-run centre. Those people are really keeping Winnipeg weird, and I love that.' Universal Language, which was the Canadian submission to this year's Academy Awards for best international feature, had its world première in competition at Cannes. Last spring after a sold-out local première at the Centre culturel franco-manitobain, Rankin carved up several Jeanne's cakes with the film's title written on top in green Farsi script. In a five-star review for the Free Press, Alison Gillmor wrote that 'while the film is laugh-out-loud funny — literally — it is also, by the end, as the wandering characters are finally brought together, ineffably sad and delicate.' 'Rankin's work has always been clever and comic, but there's a new tenderness here as the filmmaker brings in autobiographical strands, fusing them into a poetic expression of regret, longing and the meaning of home and family,' she added. Rankin, who in addition to French and Farsi is also learning Esperanto, has built a stellar career playing with the narrative strands of Canadian identity and political memory. His debut feature The Twentieth Century is a fantastical reimagining of former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's origin story, while short films including 2014's Mynarski Death Plummet and 2010's Negativipeg are more localized, equally rewarding experiments in semi-fiction. Monthly What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. An email with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing. In February, Universal Language — co-written by Rankin, Ila Firouzabadi (who took home the best casting award) and Pirouz Nemati (who lost the award for leading performance in comedy to Cate Blanchett in Guy Maddin's Rumours) — was named best Canadian feature by the Toronto Film Critics Association, earning a $50,000 prize. Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television Universal Language co-writers and co-stars Pirouz Nemati (left) and Matthew Rankin 'This is a movie we made with our whole heart,' Rankin said Sunday. 'We all know what political moment we're living in. Every day there are new Berlin Walls shooting up all around us and pitting us against each other into very cruel binaries, and if our film stands for anything, it stands for the fact that kindness can, in fact, be a radical gesture, and that's really what we believe in now more than ever.' Other Winnipeg-related winners at the awards include the locally made Wilfred Buck, which nabbed David Schmidt an award for best editing of a feature-length documentary, and local writer Scott Montgomery as part of a team of winners for best writing, animation, for the Apple TV+ prodution Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin. The 2025 Canadian Screen Awards show, which aired live June 1 on CBC and CBC Gem, is also available to stream on Crave as of 8 p.m. Monday. Ben WaldmanReporter Ben Waldman is a National Newspaper Award-nominated reporter on the Arts & Life desk at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Ben completed three internships with the Free Press while earning his degree at Ryerson University's (now Toronto Metropolitan University's) School of Journalism before joining the newsroom full-time in 2019. Read more about Ben. Every piece of reporting Ben produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Trump biopic The Apprentice takes home top film award at Canadian Screen Awards
Social Sharing The divisive, little-seen yet still-controversial Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice managed to grab the brass ring on Sunday, taking home the top award of best motion picture at the final night of the Canadian Screen Awards. It beat out stiff competition in that top category from filmmaker Matthew Rankin's Universal Language, which made the Academy Awards shortlist for best international feature late last year. And while The Apprentice was still the big winner of the night with two, Rankin's surreal comedy was no slouch either. Its five prior wins over the weekend and one Sunday, for directing, meant it still had the most wins of all films nominated. "I'm from Winnipeg, I'm not accustomed to winning anything," Rankin joked, before referencing his film's commentary on alienation, xenophobia and culture shock. "We all know what political moment we're living in; every day there are new Berlin walls shooting up all around us and pitting us against each other into very cruel binaries," he said. "If our film stands for anything, it stands for the fact that kindness can be a radical gesture." It wasn't the only surprise of the night: CTV's Children Ruin Everything increased its trophy count to three, as it stepped in to snatch best comedy series from Crave's Late Bloomer, which had snapped up four trophies this weekend. And while it was up for a total of 20 awards — the most of any nominated title — Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent only managed to increase its trophy count by one, to pull in a paltry total of three this year. The win was a big one, though, as the Canadian version of the expansive Law & Order franchise won best drama series. Triumphant as they were, some of the awards' biggest winners were honoured outside the big night: TV movie Wynonna Earp: Vengeance and documentary series The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal both earned seven honours earlier over the weekend. Pointed messages But Sunday's winners did at least occasionally broach big topics. Upon receiving the best feature length documentary trophy, Molly Wickham alluded to the subject of their film Yintah, which follows Witsuwit'en Nation fighting for its sovereignty in the face of planned pipeline projects. "We still face colonial occupation, and we are still fighting to live in peace as on our land," Wickham said. "The fight continues and we will never give up. Our sovereignty is tied to our collective freedom." Canada's Drag Race won best reality competition — having now done so for every year but one of its five-year broadcast — and increased its total count to eight, the most of any awarded productions this year. Drag queen and Drag Race host Brooke Lynn Hytes spoke about what she'd most like to ask U.S. President Donald Trump backstage in the press room. "What foundation do you use? Because it is the wrong shade," she said, before addressing his policies targeting transgender people. "Why are you targeting the most marginalized, smallest group of people in the country and making an example out of them when they are not doing anything to hurt anybody; they're just trying to exist?" And as The Apprentice 's producer Daniel Bekerman took to the stage, he also spoke of Trump — the subject of their film, who threatened a lawsuit to remove it from circulation. "Our movie shows how the young Donald Trump amassed wealth and power by finding a dilapidated building and slapping his name on it," he said. "Now he wants to slap his name on this country." "The most powerful person in the world tried to squish us, and they failed. They failed." But all in all, the twelve awards and jokes on offer were more or less safe, smooth sailing for a show that hasn't found itself far from disapproval or drama over the past few years. After a pre-packaged, pre-recorded change of format in 2023 that led to complaints from none other than Eugene Levy, the CSAs returned to a live format in 2024, though one that largely focused on the dire and potentially dismal future of Canadian film and television. There was a new round of complaints this year, centred around the awards show's plan to air exclusively online, eschewing the traditional TV broadcast. But after a last-minute reversal of that decision, things went ahead much the same as any prior, nondescript year. That engineered smoothness resulted in an almost pointed exclusion of reference to the many dark clouds hanging over the Canadian film industry. From proposed Hollywood tariffs, to ongoing feuds between the CRTC and streaming platforms fighting against Canadian content obligations, or the bleak performance of Canadian English-language films in comparison to their American counterparts at the box office, few of the industry's existential issues made their way into a broadcast more concerned with gentle preening. Dimmed starlight Instead, there were cautiously celebratory allusions to Canada's artistic importance, such as Manny Jacinto's Radius award for international impact, and an in-memoriam segment for Donald Sutherland presented by his son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, along with hit-and-miss jokes so typical of such ceremonies. The general tone was set by host Lisa Gilroy in her opening skit. In it, she jokingly compared herself to "comedy legend" Martin Short, versus her own status as "Instagram account-holder, Lisay Gilroy," who was like "a Canadian Nikki Glaser, only less successful." But the intermittent bits were just enough to keep the night moving along, if not write home about. And unsurprisingly, the star power for Canada's biggest night was dimmed. The two A-list winners — Sebastian Stan for The Apprentice and Cate Blanchett, who won best performance in a drama for Rumours — did not even offer video or written acceptance speeches, let alone attend. When presenting the night's last award, Hytes even managed to sneak in a self-aware joke that worked for finally breathing a bit of honesty into the proceedings. "The eyes of the world are focused on this stage," she said to doubting laughs. "And by the world, I do mean Canada." The stars who did attend did seem genuinely affected by the honour. As Allegiance 's Supinder Wratch accepted her trophy for best lead performer in a drama series, her voice quivered while remarking on her father's recent passing. And when Run the Burbs ' Andrew Phung won best lead performer in a comedy series, he could barely keep from crying during his acceptance speech. Despite it being his sixth career acting CSA, he struggled through the emotion the award brought out as he barrelled through thank-yous. "Today is our twentieth anniversary," he said as his voice broke and the camera pointed to his wife, Tamara Sharpe. "When I felt like I couldn't do anything, you made me believe that I could do everything. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much."
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘Universal Language' leads film contenders heading into Canadian Screen Awards
An absurdist Winnipeg-set fever dream and a millennial identity dramedy are among the leading contenders heading into tonight's Canadian Screen Awards. Matthew Rankin's 'Universal Language' picked up five awards in the film categories at a ceremony over the weekend and will compete for several more tonight, capping off a multi-day celebration of Canadian film, television and digital storytelling. It's vying for the best film trophy against 'The Apprentice,' 'Darkest Miriam,' 'Gamma Rays,' 'Village Keeper' and 'Who Do I Belong To.' Jasmeet Raina's Crave dramedy series 'Late Bloomer' won four awards at a gala for scripted television on Saturday, and is in contention tonight for best comedy series. It's up against CTV's 'Children Ruin Everything,' CBC's 'One More Time' and Crave's 'Don't Even' and 'Office Movers.' Edmonton-born comedian Lisa Gilroy says there's no better time to spotlight homegrown talent as she hosts tonight's Canadian Screen Awards, airing live from Toronto on CBC and CBC Gem. 'I know how hard it is to get TV shows and movies made (in Canada), and I'm so excited to celebrate the stuff that has been made,' she said in an interview earlier this month. 'It is so good and so funny. And we deserve to party.' 'Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent,' which led all nominees overall with 20, is up for several trophies tonight. It won two awards on Saturday for best writing in a drama series and best sound in fiction. It will square off for best drama series against CBC's 'Allegiance' and 'Bones of Crows,' Hollywood Suite's 'Potluck Ladies' and CTV's 'Sight Unseen.' 'Law & Order Toronto' actors Kathleen Munroe and Aden Young compete for best lead performer in a drama series against Grace Dove of Crave's 'Bones of Crows,' Mayko Nguyen of Citytv's 'Hudson & Rex' and CBC stars Supinder Wraich of 'Allegiance,' Hélène Joy of 'Murdoch Mysteries, Michelle Morgan of 'Heartland' and Vinessa Antoine of 'Plan B.' 'Universal Language' stars Rojina Esmaeili and Pirouz Nemati are nominated for best performance in a leading comedy film role. They're up against Maïla Valentir of 'Ababooned,' Paul Spence of 'Deaner '89,' Taylor Olson of 'Look at Me,' Emily Lê from 'Paying for It,' Cate Blanchett of 'Rumours' and Kaniehtiio Horn of 'Seeds.' Up for best performance in a leading drama film role are Sebastian Stan of 'The Apprentice,' Oshim Ottawa of 'Atikamekw Suns,' Britt Lower of 'Darkest Miriam,' Carrie-Anne Moss of ':Die Alone,' Chaïmaa Zineddine Elidrissi of 'Gamma Rays,' Sean Dalton of 'Skeet,' Christine Beaulieu of 'The Thawing of Ice,' and Olunike Adeliyi of 'Village Keeper.' In a last-minute programming shift on Thursday, the Canadian Screen Awards announced it would broadcast live on television — reversing earlier plans for a streaming-only show. Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television CEO Tammy Frick previously said going online-only allowed the show to be more 'flexible.' Some top nominees had expressed disappointment in March, telling The Canadian Press that a televised broadcast is key to spotlighting Canadian talent. The Academy said the decision to return to CBC TV came down to NHL scheduling — with no playoff game on Sunday, the two-hour show could air live. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025. Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Universal Language' leads film contenders heading into Canadian Screen Awards
An absurdist Winnipeg-set fever dream and a millennial identity dramedy are among the leading contenders heading into tonight's Canadian Screen Awards. Matthew Rankin's 'Universal Language' picked up five awards in the film categories at a ceremony over the weekend and will compete for several more tonight, capping off a multi-day celebration of Canadian film, television and digital storytelling. It's vying for the best film trophy against 'The Apprentice,' 'Darkest Miriam,' 'Gamma Rays,' 'Village Keeper' and 'Who Do I Belong To.' Jasmeet Raina's Crave dramedy series 'Late Bloomer' won four awards at a gala for scripted television on Saturday, and is in contention tonight for best comedy series. It's up against CTV's 'Children Ruin Everything,' CBC's 'One More Time' and Crave's 'Don't Even' and 'Office Movers.' Edmonton-born comedian Lisa Gilroy says there's no better time to spotlight homegrown talent as she hosts tonight's Canadian Screen Awards, airing live from Toronto on CBC and CBC Gem. 'I know how hard it is to get TV shows and movies made (in Canada), and I'm so excited to celebrate the stuff that has been made,' she said in an interview earlier this month. 'It is so good and so funny. And we deserve to party.' 'Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent,' which led all nominees overall with 20, is up for several trophies tonight. It won two awards on Saturday for best writing in a drama series and best sound in fiction. It will square off for best drama series against CBC's 'Allegiance' and 'Bones of Crows,' Hollywood Suite's 'Potluck Ladies' and CTV's 'Sight Unseen.' 'Law & Order Toronto' actors Kathleen Munroe and Aden Young compete for best lead performer in a drama series against Grace Dove of Crave's 'Bones of Crows,' Mayko Nguyen of Citytv's 'Hudson & Rex' and CBC stars Supinder Wraich of 'Allegiance,' Hélène Joy of 'Murdoch Mysteries, Michelle Morgan of 'Heartland' and Vinessa Antoine of 'Plan B.' 'Universal Language' stars Rojina Esmaeili and Pirouz Nemati are nominated for best performance in a leading comedy film role. They're up against Maïla Valentir of 'Ababooned,' Paul Spence of 'Deaner '89,' Taylor Olson of 'Look at Me,' Emily Lê from 'Paying for It,' Cate Blanchett of 'Rumours' and Kaniehtiio Horn of 'Seeds.' Up for best performance in a leading drama film role are Sebastian Stan of 'The Apprentice,' Oshim Ottawa of 'Atikamekw Suns,' Britt Lower of 'Darkest Miriam,' Carrie-Anne Moss of ':Die Alone,' Chaïmaa Zineddine Elidrissi of 'Gamma Rays,' Sean Dalton of 'Skeet,' Christine Beaulieu of 'The Thawing of Ice,' and Olunike Adeliyi of 'Village Keeper.' In a last-minute programming shift on Thursday, the Canadian Screen Awards announced it would broadcast live on television — reversing earlier plans for a streaming-only show. Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television CEO Tammy Frick previously said going online-only allowed the show to be more 'flexible.' Some top nominees had expressed disappointment in March, telling The Canadian Press that a televised broadcast is key to spotlighting Canadian talent. The Academy said the decision to return to CBC TV came down to NHL scheduling — with no playoff game on Sunday, the two-hour show could air live. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Universal Language' leads film contenders heading into Canadian Screen Awards
An absurdist Winnipeg-set fever dream and a millennial identity dramedy are among the leading contenders heading into tonight's Canadian Screen Awards. Matthew Rankin's 'Universal Language' picked up five awards in the film categories at a ceremony over the weekend and will compete for several more tonight, capping off a multi-day celebration of Canadian film, television and digital storytelling. It's vying for the best film trophy against 'The Apprentice,' 'Darkest Miriam,' 'Gamma Rays,' 'Village Keeper' and 'Who Do I Belong To.' Jasmeet Raina's Crave dramedy series 'Late Bloomer' won four awards at a gala for scripted television on Saturday, and is in contention tonight for best comedy series. It's up against CTV's 'Children Ruin Everything,' CBC's 'One More Time' and Crave's 'Don't Even' and 'Office Movers.' Edmonton-born comedian Lisa Gilroy says there's no better time to spotlight homegrown talent as she hosts tonight's Canadian Screen Awards, airing live from Toronto on CBC and CBC Gem. 'I know how hard it is to get TV shows and movies made (in Canada), and I'm so excited to celebrate the stuff that has been made,' she said in an interview earlier this month. 'It is so good and so funny. And we deserve to party.' 'Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent,' which led all nominees overall with 20, is up for several trophies tonight. It won two awards on Saturday for best writing in a drama series and best sound in fiction. It will square off for best drama series against CBC's 'Allegiance' and 'Bones of Crows,' Hollywood Suite's 'Potluck Ladies' and CTV's 'Sight Unseen.' 'Law & Order Toronto' actors Kathleen Munroe and Aden Young compete for best lead performer in a drama series against Grace Dove of Crave's 'Bones of Crows,' Mayko Nguyen of Citytv's 'Hudson & Rex' and CBC stars Supinder Wraich of 'Allegiance,' Hélène Joy of 'Murdoch Mysteries, Michelle Morgan of 'Heartland' and Vinessa Antoine of 'Plan B.' 'Universal Language' stars Rojina Esmaeili and Pirouz Nemati are nominated for best performance in a leading comedy film role. They're up against Maïla Valentir of 'Ababooned,' Paul Spence of 'Deaner '89,' Taylor Olson of 'Look at Me,' Emily Lê from 'Paying for It,' Cate Blanchett of 'Rumours' and Kaniehtiio Horn of 'Seeds.' Up for best performance in a leading drama film role are Sebastian Stan of 'The Apprentice,' Oshim Ottawa of 'Atikamekw Suns,' Britt Lower of 'Darkest Miriam,' Carrie-Anne Moss of ':Die Alone,' Chaïmaa Zineddine Elidrissi of 'Gamma Rays,' Sean Dalton of 'Skeet,' Christine Beaulieu of 'The Thawing of Ice,' and Olunike Adeliyi of 'Village Keeper.' Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. In a last-minute programming shift on Thursday, the Canadian Screen Awards announced it would broadcast live on television — reversing earlier plans for a streaming-only show. Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television CEO Tammy Frick previously said going online-only allowed the show to be more 'flexible.' Some top nominees had expressed disappointment in March, telling The Canadian Press that a televised broadcast is key to spotlighting Canadian talent. The Academy said the decision to return to CBC TV came down to NHL scheduling — with no playoff game on Sunday, the two-hour show could air live. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.
