– Special Gemini winners

The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television’s second annual Academy Achievement Award for exceptional contribution to the television industry goes to 30-year-plus tv veteran Arthur Weinthal, vp entertainment programming, CTV Television Network.

Gordon Pinsent takes home the Earle Grey Award at the upcoming 11th annual Gemini Awards for his 30-year career as actor, author and director. The award recognizes a body of work in television.

The 1997 Canada Award goes to the one-hour documentary The Mind of the Child, produced and directed by Gary Marcuse of Vancouver’s Face To Face Media. The award, supported by the Multiculturalism Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage, honors programming which best reflects the cultural diversity of Canada.

The Mind of the Child tells the story of First Nations educator Lorna Williams’ instrumental work in creating the Variety Learning Centre, which supervises the tutoring of First Nations children. Honorable mention goes to My Name is Kahentiiosta, a doc written and directed by Alanis Obomsawin.

Contenders for Chrysler Canada’s Choice Award are: 1996 Juno Awards, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Dido and Aenas, Due South, Elvis and Friends on Tour, The Little Lulu Show, The National/CBC News, The Nature of Things, This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Under the Piano.

The award presentations are March 1 and 2 in Toronto.

-Banff honors Channel 4

The Banff Television Festival has announced u.k.’s Channel 4 as the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award.

The award will be presented June 11 at the 18th annual tv festival in Banff.