A gam Darshi’s feature Donkeyhead picked up the top prizes at the UBCP/ACTRA Awards in Vancouver. Darshi, the film’s star who also wrote, directed and produced it, won Best Lead Performance, Female, while co-star Stephen Lobo won Best Lead Performance, Male.

The awards were handed out during a live ceremony at the Vancouver Playhouse on Nov. 19. The supporting performance winners were Eric McCormack for the feature Drinkwater, and Leah Gibson for her work in the Spectrum original Joe Pickett episode “The Most Hated Man in 12 Sleeps.”

Rounding out the winners are Ian Hanlin, who won Best Voice Performance for the animated series Angry Birds: Summer Madness, and Marny Eng, Colby Chartrand, Kevin Fortin, Leif Havdale and Jeff Sanca, picking up Best Stunt Performance for the film Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Sugar23 announces Toronto office

Management and creative content company Sugar23 has hired Max Tremblay to lead its Canadian expansion. The L.A. based company has announced it will open an office in Toronto, with Tremblay hired to oversee the Canadian location. Tremblay previously worked with literary agency Westwood Creative Artists and has represented several podcast clients, including Toronto Raptors player Fred VanVleet’s Bet On Yourself and Kathryn Nicolai’s Nothing Much Happens.

Women Talking to be honoured at Film Independent Spirit Awards

Sarah Polley’s Women Talking will receive the Robert Altman Award at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The honour is given to the ensemble cast, director and casting director of a film each year. Women Talking received three nominations overall, including Best Feature, as well as Best Director and Best Screenplay nods for Polley. The Robert Altman Award precludes any individual cast members from receiving a performance nomination. Women Talking is produced by Plan B Entertainment, hear/say Productions, and Orion Pictures. The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in September.

Five filmmakers set for Cinematoba program

The National Screen Institute (NSI) and The Winnipeg Foundation have selected five Manitoba filmmakers for Cinematoba. The media production program offers funding and mentorship toward the creation of a short film, with each project centered on the theme of generosity. The selected filmmakers and projects are are Alice Teufack (Grand Frère), Carolyn Gray (Escape!), Faustina Dalmacio (After School), Hilary McDonald (We Haven’t Yet Said Thanks); and Jessica Landry (Testament).

Projects are currently in pre-production, with the short films expected to be delivered by June 2023. Each filmmaker will be paired with an experienced director as a mentor during the production process. Mentors include Danielle Sturk, Elise Swerhone, Leona Krahn, Rebecca Gibson and Shereen Jerrett.

Photo by Stephanie Schumann; Pictured L-R: Eric McCormack, Leah Gibson, Jeff Sanca, Agam Darshi, Stephen Lobo and Ian Hanlin