Ghosts of Afghanistan and Oscar Peterson: Black + White topped the first wave of Canadian Screen Award winners. The documentaries won three awards each in the presentation of News, Documentary, and Factual categories during Canadian Screen Week. The awards were presented virtually with the Academy announcing winners on Twitter as well.
Directed by Julian Sher, Natalie Dubois, and Graeme Smith, Ghosts of Afghanistan took top honours in the documentary categories at the Canadian Screen Awards with a win for the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program. The doc follows Canadian journalist Graeme Smith as he captures the stories of people on the ground working to rebuild Afghanistan in the aftermath of war. Ghosts of Afghanistan also won for writing and picture editing. It is available to stream on YouTube.
Oscar Peterson: Black + White scored a win for Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series. The doc directed by Barry Avrich explores the life and career of the acclaimed jazz pianist through archives, interviews, and performances by contemporary artists he inspired. Black + White also won honours for Avrich’s direction and the Barbara Sears Award for Best Visual Research. The film is now playing on Crave. Black + White led the TV doc nominees overall.
On the environmental front, Borealis directed by Kevin McMahon, won two prizes including Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series. Borealis’s visually striking consideration of the Canadian landscape also netted a win for John Minh Tran’s cinematography. Borealis is now streaming at NFB.ca.
The film categories were split between wins for My Tree and Prayer for a Lost Mitten. The docs won prizes for film editing and cinematography, respectively. Both films are nominated in the Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary Award, which will be revealed later this week.
The full list of 2022 documentary and factual Canadian Screen Award winners:
Best Editing in a Feature Length Documentary
Ben Lawrence – My Tree
Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Documentary
Marianne Ploska – Prayer for a Lost Mitten | Prière pour une mitaine perdue
Best Short Documentary
Sponsor | Hot Docs
Nalujuk Night – Jennie Williams, Latonia Hartery, Kat Baulu, Rohan Fernando, Annette Clarke
Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program
Sponsor | ROGERS
Ghosts of Afghanistan – Arnie Gelbart, Julian Sher, Natalie Dubois
Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series
Borealis – Kevin McMahon, Michael McMahon, Kristina McLaughlin, Justine Pimlott, Felicity Justrabo
Best History Documentary Program or Series
How to Start a Revolution – Catherine Legge, Tarannum Kamlani, Geoff Turner, Francis Plourde, Anne MacRae
Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series
Oscar Peterson: Black + White – Randy Lennox, Jeffrey Latimer, Barry Avrich, Mark Selby
Best Writing, Documentary
Ghosts of Afghanistan – Julian Sher, Graeme Smith, Natalie Dubois
Best Picture Editing, Documentary
Ghosts of Afghanistan – Susan Shanks
Best Original Music, Non-Fiction
The Covid Cruise- Erica Procunier
Best Photography, Documentary or Factual
Borealis – John Minh Tran
Barbara Sears Award for Best Editorial Research
W5 – Flight 752 – Stephen Bandera, Shelley Ayres
Barbara Sears Award for Best Visual Research
Oscar Peterson: Black + White – Mark Selby
Best Documentary Program
Catching a Serial Killer: Bruce McArthur – Carrie Mudd, James Buddy Day, Ryan Valentini, Diana Foley
Best Direction, Documentary Program
Oscar Peterson: Black + White – Barry Avrich
Best Direction, Documentary Series
Being Black in Halifax – Kardeisha Provo, Tyler Simmonds, Dena Williams, Lily Nottage
Best Factual Series
Employable Me – Thomas Howe, Penny Wheelwright, Katie Lafferty, Claire Freeland
Best Direction, Factual
Spirit Talker – Membertou First Nation, NS – Stephanie Clattenburg
Best Writing, Factual
Arctic Vets – Arctic Goodbyes – Jeff Thrasher
Best Picture Editing, Factual
Arctic Vets – Polar Bear Heli-Rescue – Anna Bigos
