Rosies handed out
Hell on Wheels edges out teen vampire Rufus
A TV western about ex-soldiers, murder and railroads was the big winner at this year’s Alberta Film & Television Awards.
Hell on Wheels, shot in Okotoks and starring Anson Mount and rapper Common, won six Rosies — including Best Dramatic Series, Best Production Designer/Art Director and Best Costume Designer.
Rufus, a Calgary-made feature film about a teen vampire, was next with four Rosies, including Best Dramatic Feature Film and Best Director Drama Over 30 Minutes).
The awards, which honour excellence in the Alberta film and TV industries, were handed out Saturday night at the Winspear Centre.
Three Edmonton-made TV series picked up two awards each: ❚ Hail Mary, which follows football players hoping to make the Eskimos, nabbed Best Documentary Series. The show’s Steve Katakami also won Best Editor (for Just Three Days). The series, which airs on Citytv, is produced by Anaid Productions. ❚ Mike Beley picked up Best Director (Non-Fiction Over 30 Minutes) while Scot Morison earned Best Screenwriter (Non-Fiction Over 30 Minutes) for their work on Oil Change, Aquila Productions’ behindthe-scenes look at the woeful Oilers. ❚ Belinda Cornish won Best Performance by an Alberta Actress for her role as the boss of a toy company on Tiny Plastic Men, a comedy airing on Superchannel. The show’s Francis Damberger was named Best Director (Drama Under 30 Minutes).
Other local winners include Edmonton’s CTV News at Six, which won Best News Series for its coverage of the robbery and fatal shooting of three G4S guards on the University of Alberta campus.
Shaw TV Edmonton’s Angelika Gawronski won Best Information or Lifestyle Series for The Proposal, a reality show about couples on the verge of walking down the aisle.
Producer Hans J. Dys, who runs FILM Bratz Productions, won two Rosies, including Best Public Service Announcement for Little Warriors, an organization aimed at the prevention of child sex abuse.
Legend of a Warrior, co-produced by Edmonton’s Bonnie Thompson, won Best Documentary Over 30 Minutes. The film follows Calgary director Corey Lee’s attempts to reconnect with his father, martial arts legend Frank Lee.
SCTV alumnus Dave Thomas, who might be best known for playing hoser Doug McKenzie, was honoured with a Special Achievement Award as part of AMPIA’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
The influential sketch comedy show was shot in Edmonton in the early ’80s.