Amazing Race, Fifth Estate among the top CSA winners
CTV’S reality series The Amazing Race Canada and CBC’S investigative documentary program The Fifth Estate won big on the first night of the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards.
Each program landed four trophies at Tuesday’s Toronto gala, which honoured non-fiction programming in about 50 categories.
The Amazing Race Canada won in categories including the Golden Screen Award for TV reality show and best direction in a reality/ competition series.
The Fifth Estate took awards including best news or information series, as well as best writing in a documentary for the segment The Truth Smugglers.
The gala was one of several set for this week leading into Sunday’s CBC broadcast of the Canadian Screen Awards, which honour homegrown talent in film, TV and digital media.
The show will air from the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
Other programs with multiple wins included CBC’S documentary Equus: Story of the Horse, CBC News: The National and TSN’S 2017 Grey Cup coverage. Each took three awards.
CTV National News with Lisa Laflamme was named best national newscast, while Dawna Friesen of Global National took best national news anchor.
Gord Downie’s Secret Path in Concert, which aired on CBC, won best variety or entertainment special as well as a nod for best sound.
Best documentary program went to HBO Canada’s You Are Here: A Come From Away Story, about how Gander, N.L., welcomed thousands of stranded airline passengers and crew members following the 9-11 attacks. The doc also won an award for picture editing.
The CBC true crime series The Detectives netted two honours, including best factual series.
Also getting two awards was CBC’S comedy-reality series Still Standing, including a hosting nod for Jonny Harris.
The Canadian Screen Awards have a total of 135 categories.