The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (Canadian Academy) has announced the first four Special Award recipients to be honoured during the 2024 Canadian Screen Week.

The Canadian Academy recognizes a number of domestic screen sector figures annually as part of the Canadian Screen Awards. This year, the recipients will be announced in waves in the lead-up to Screen Week, which runs from May 26 to June 1.

The Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute Award will be given to two recipients this year: the late filmmaker Jeff Barnaby and John Brunton, chair, CEO and executive producer at Insight Productions.

Barnaby was the director of acclaimed films such as Blood Quantum and Rhymes for Young Ghouls, and is considered a pioneer in the creation of the film genre Indigenous futurism. He died in 2022 at the age of 46 following a cancer diagnosis.

Brunton has had a decades-long career in the Canadian screen sector through his work with Insight Productions. The Boat Rocker-owned prodco is behind some of Canada’s biggest reality hits, including CTV’s The Amazing Race Canada and Global’s Big Brother Canada.

Reelworld Screen Institute executive director Tonya Williams will be the recipient of the Changemaker Award, which honours industry leaders in dismantling racism in the sector. Williams founded Reelworld in 2000 and has worked for decades to train, mentor and promote the work of members of the Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian and other racialized communities in Canada.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Marilyn Denis. The broadcasting veteran has been a recognizable figure in radio and television for decades. She hosted Citytv’s Cityline for two years, followed by 13 seasons of The Marilyn Denis Show on CTV, which ended in 2023. She continues to serve as a morning host on CHUM 104.5.

Additional Special Award recipients will be announced in the coming weeks. The awards will be handed out during Canadian Screen Week.

Pictured (L-R): John Brunton (photo by Mark O’Neill), Jeff Barnaby, Marilyn Denis (photo by Matt Barnes) and Tonya Williams (photo by Alan Weissman)