If you needed a reminder that the British Columbia film and television industry is both a top-tier service provider and rich with boundary-pushing independent filmmakers, you got it at the 2017 Leo Awards red carpet gala.
Now in its 19th year, the Leo Awards recognize achievements in the BC screen scene. 113 Leos were handed out this year over three ceremonies and two weekends, culminating on Sunday with the annual Red Carpet Gala, held in a cavernous ballroom in the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Actor and comedian Peter Kelamis (Beyond) presided over the event, which saw trophies handed out to cast and crew from independent motion pictures, locally shot American and Canadian television series, and narrative short films.
Hello Destroyer – Vancouver director Kevan Funk’s critically acclaimed deep-dive into violence and hockey culture – was the big winner of the night, taking home Leos for Best Motion Picture, Best Direction, Best Screenwriting, and Best Lead Performance by a Male for its star, Jared Abrahamson. Connor Gaston’s The Cameraman won Best Short Drama in the narrative short category, while 2016 Crazy8s stand-out I Love You So Much It’s Killing Them (a horror rom-com about a woman who is an accountant by day and a serial killer by night) won Best Direction for Joel Ashton McCarthy and Best Performance by a Female for Alex Duncan.
Both Funk and McCarthy used their acceptance speeches to encourage the capacity crowd to value and pursue Canadian stories.
Audience Network’s Rogue took Best Dramatic Series, while Lifetime’s Toni Braxton biopic Toni Braxton: Unbreak my Heart won Best Television Movie. Veteran director and Officer of the Order of Canada Anne Wheeler (Bye Bye Blues) won the Leo Award for Best Direction in a Television Movie for Stop the Wedding. And gala host Kelamis took home the Leo for his portrayal of The Man in the Yellow Jacket on Freeform’s sci-fi series Beyond.
Peruse the full results below.
MOTION PICTURE
Best Motion Picture
Hello Destroyer
Haydn Wazelle, Daniel Domachowski - Producers
Best Direction in a Motion Picture
Kevan Funk
Hello Destroyer
Best Screenwriting in a Motion Picture
Kevan Funk
Hello Destroyer
Best Casting in a Motion Picture
Maureen Webb
Little Pink House
Best Stunt Coordination in a Motion Picture
Kimani Ray Smith
Fist Fight
Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Motion Picture
Eli Goree
Race
Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Motion Picture
Leah Gibson
Lost Solace
Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Motion Picture
Jared Abrahamson
Hello Destroyer
Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Motion Picture
Jessica McLeod
The Hollow Child
TELEVISION MOVIE
Best Television Movie
Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart
Shawn Williamson, Jamie Goehring, Craig Baumgarten, Toni Braxton, Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds, Marcus Grant, Erik Kritzer, David Katsman - Producers
Best Direction in a Television Movie
Anne Wheeler
Stop The Wedding
Best Screenwriting in a Television Movie
James Phillips, Doug Barber
Swept Under
Best Casting in a Television Movie
Jackie Lind
Who Killed JonBenét?
Best Stunt Coordination in a Television Movie
Garvin Cross
Legends Of The Hidden Temple
Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Television Movie
Ty Olsson
A Surrogates Nightmare
Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Television Movie
Johannah Newmarch
Pretty Little Dead Girl
Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Television Movie
Dan Payne
A Time To Dance
SHORT DRAMA
Best Short Drama
The Cameraman
Arnold Lim, Connor Gaston - Producers
Best Direction in a Short Drama
Joel Ashton McCarthy
I Love You So Much It's Killing Them
Best Screenwriting in a Short Drama
Neil Labute
Black Chicks
Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama
David Cubitt
Black Chicks
Best Performance by a Female in a Short Drama
Alex Duncan
I Love You So Much It's Killing Them
DRAMATIC SERIES
Best Dramatic Series
Rogue
John Morayniss, Matthew Parkhill, Robert Petrovicz, Nick Hamm - Producers
Best Direction in a Dramatic Series
Steven A. Adelson
12 Monkeys - Lullaby
Best Screenwriting in a Dramatic Series
Rachel Langer
This Life - Well Fought, My Love
Best Casting in a Dramatic Series
Judy Lee
The Romeo Section - A Rigged Game
Best Stunt Coordination in a Dramatic Series
Curtis Braconnier, Eli Zagoudakis
Arrow - What We Leave Behind
Best Guest Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series
Mackenzie Gray
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Rogue Wall Enthusiasts
Best Guest Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series
Jennifer Spence
Travelers - Grace
Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series
Peter Kelamis
Beyond - The Man In The Yellow Jacket
Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series
Chelah Horsdal
The Man in the High Castle - Fallout
Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series
Jonathan Scarfe
Van Helsing - Help Me
Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series
Kristin Lehman
Motive - Natural Selection
STUDENT PRODUCTION
Best Student Production
Dollar King
Drew Pollins - Producer
