Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson’s Scarborough (pictured) and Danis Goulet’s Night Raiders led the cinematic arts winners on night five of the Canadian Screen Awards on Friday (April 8), with Scarborough winning the John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award.

Both Scarborough and Night Raiders won five awards apiece during the virtual ceremony, which was hosted by Transplant star Laurence Leboeuf.

In addition to the best feature film honour, Scarborough won Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Cherish Violet Blood; Achievement in Casting; Achievement in Sound Editing; and Adapted Screenplay for Catherine Hernandez.

Scarborough, produced by Compy Films, was adapted from Hernandez’s debut novel of the same name and had its world premiere at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it was the runner-up for the People’s Choice Award behind eventual Oscar winner Belfast. Distributed by levelFILM in Canada, Scarborough had its theatrical release on Feb. 25, earning the highest per-theatre average of any Canadian film that week.

Night Raiders‘ wins in the virtual presentation included Original Screenplay for Goulet; Achievement in Sound Mixing; Achievement in Costume Design; Achievement in Make-Up; and Achievement in Visual Effects.

Goulet’s debut feature, set in a dystopian world where children are forcibly taken from their parents and put into state academies, broke the record for the widest theatrical release of an Indigenous-led film in Canada, according to distributor Elevation Pictures. Night Raiders had its world premiere at the 2021 Berlin Film Festival and later had its international premiere at TIFF.

Night Raiders was produced by Tara Woodbury for Uno Bravo; Paul Barkin for Alcina Pictures; Ainsley Gardiner and Georgina Condor for Miss Conception Films/Whenua Films; and co-produced with Chelsea Winstanley for Defender Films.

The other multi-award winner of the evening was Michael McGowan’s All My Puny Sorrows, which won Achievement in Editing and Achievement in Music – Original Score. Produced by Mulmur Feed, Sugar Shack Productions and Carousel Pictures and distributed by Mongrel Media, the film is an adaptation of Canadian author Miriam Toews’ bestselling novel about two sisters grappling with one’s determination to end her life.

The Golden Screen Award for Feature Film, which awards the highest box office of a Canadian film, went to PAW Patrol: The Movie (Spin Master Entertainment), while Best Live Action Short Drama was awarded to Katerine Martineau and Guillaume Collin for Les filles ne marchent pas seules la nuit (Girls Shouldn’t Walk Alone at Night).

Additional winners include Bretten Hannam’s Wildhood (Rebel Road Films), earning Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Joshua Odjick; Ivan Grbovic’s Les oiseaux ivres (Drunken Birds) (micro_scope) for Achievement in Cinematography; Thyrone Tommy’s Learn to Swim (Leilani Films) with Achievement in Music – Original Song for “And Then We Don’t” by TiKA and Casey Manierka-Quaile; Francis Leclerc’s L’arracheuse de temps (The Time Thief) (Attraction Images) for Achievement in Art Direction; and Sébastien Pilote’s Maria Chapdelaine (Item 7, Multipix) for Achievement in Hair.

The remaining awards, including Best Motion Picture and Achievement in Direction, will be announced during the pre-recorded broadcast gala on CBC and CBC Gem on Sunday (April 10). A breakdown of the scripted TV awards handed out on Thursday (April 7) are available here.