Film ‘Scarborough,’ TV series ‘Transplant’ and ‘Sort Of’ top Canadian Screen Awards

Toronto-set suburban drama “Scarborough” was the top film winner at the Canadian Screen Awards.

The book-to-screen adaptation collected three marquee prizes during the televised bash, including best picture.

First-time feature filmmakers Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson claimed the direction category, while young star Liam Diaz was named best lead actor.

“Scarborough” garnered a grand total of eight trophies during the weeklong celebration of film, television and digital media.

Leading the TV winners was CTV’s “Transplant,” which cleaned up the drama categories.

The medical show won best drama series and acting honours for leads Hamza Haq and Laurence Leboeuf, for an overall haul of eight prizes.

CBC’s gender-fluid millennial dramedy “Sort Of” nabbed best comedy series, clinching a total of three trophies for its inaugural season. Co-creator Bilal Baig acknowledged the “tremendously intentional support” of the producers and broadcasters and “generosity and open-heartedness” of the writers, consultants, cast and crew.

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“’Sort of’ is a show about how we all are always changing and it feels so important to be a part of something that compassionately invites us to keep being open to change,” Baig said in a brief acceptance speech. “Thank you for celebrating and honouring us tonight.”

Other big winners on Sunday’s awards broadcast, which aired on CBC and its streamer, Gem, was CBC’s “Kim’s Convenience,” which saw stars Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon respectively named best lead actor and actress in a comedy series.

The prize for best feature-length documentary went to “Kimmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy” from filmmaker Elle-Maija Tailfeathers from the Kainai First Nation.

Tailfeathers was also recognized for performing talents as best lead actress in “Night Raiders,” adding a sixth award to the Indigenous thriller’s collection.

A visibly emotional Tailfeathers thanked Cree-Metis director Danis Goulet and the rest of the film’s team, dedicating the award to her family.

“I’d like to dedicate it to my grandparents, who both survived residential school and lived their lives with love, strength and dignity,” said Tailfeathers. “And to my father who survived the Sami boarding school system and to my mother, who showed me what living and leading with love looks like.”

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The futuristic film was among the runners-up for best picture alongside “Drunken Birds,” “Night of the Kings” and “Wildhood.”

Sunday’s festivities capped off a banner run for “Scarborough,” which featured a mix of seasoned and first-time actors to tell the story of three children growing up in the east Toronto suburb.

The film had five honours under its belt heading into the ceremony, including best adapted screenplay for author Catherine Hernandez’s script based on her 2017 debut novel.

Nakhai and Williamson, who have a background in documentaries, snagged a best first feature film award, which came with a $25,000 cash prize, while Cherish Violet Blood was named best supporting actress. The production also nabbed accolades for casting and sound editing.

The hour-long, pre-taped awards show opened with the comedy stylings of the TallBoyz and featured guest appearances by stars including Catherine O’Hara, Simu Liu and Tatiana Maslany.

The CSAs named the bulk of the winners in a series of virtual events that covered 145 categories spanning cinema, scripted programming, documentary, broadcast news, reality TV, live sports and children’s animation.

A look at the winners:

Best film — “Scarborough”

Best drama series — “Transplant,” CTV

Best comedy series — “Sort Of,” CBC Gem

Best documentary film — “Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy”

Audience choice award — “Wynonna Earp,” CTV Sci Fi Channel

Best film director — Shasha Nakhai, Rich Williamson, “Scarborough”

Best actor in a leading film role — Liam Diaz, “Scarborough”

Best actress in a leading film role — Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, “Night Raiders”

Best actor, comedy — Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, “Kim’s Convenience,” CBC

Best actress, comedy — Jean Yoon, “Kim’s Convenience,” CBC

Best actress, drama series — Laurence Leboeuf, “Transplant,” CTV

Best actor, drama series — Hamza Haq, “Transplant,” CTV

Best host or presenter, factual or reality/competition — Brooke Lynn Hytes, Traci Melchor, Amanda Brugel, Brad Goreski, “Canada’s Drag Race,” Crave