Buffalo Gal Pictures has emerged as the standout in this year’s Blizzard Award nominations, with three of the four nominees in the category of best drama long – budget over $1 million coming from the Winnipeg company. Hosted by the Manitoba Motion Picture Industries Association, the Blizzards recognize achievement in the province’s film and television industry and are held every two years.

Nominees in the category of best drama long – budget over $1 million are: Children of My Heart (Buffalo Gal/Tapestry Films), desire (Buffalo Gal/Subjective Eye/Bioskop Film); The Law of Enclosures (Buffalo Gal/Pluck Inc.) and Milgaard (Bar Harbour/Barna-Alper/Marble Island Pictures).

Only two pictures are nominated in the best drama long – budget under $1 million category: Heater from Marble Island Pictures and Kanadiana, produced by Jon Einars-Gustafsson and Jamie Brown.

The bi-annual awards, now in their tenth year, will encompass 50 awards this year including the Special Achievement Award, Best of the Gala and a recognition for outstanding contributions to training.

Other categories include best drama short, best documentary, best current/public affairs, best performing arts, best animation and best experimental.

New categories include best documentary series, best aboriginal program and best children’s program.

The awards will take place over two evenings. The Gala Awards, to be held Saturday, March 3 at the Prairie Production Centre, will be hosted by Terry David Mulligan of MovieTelevision and Startv, with special guest host Winnipegger Brendan Fehr (one of the young aliens in Roswell). The "industry insider" ceremony takes place Friday, March 2 at Le Rendez-Vous and is geared to celebrating craftspeople and performers. *