The rains held out and the excitement was heating up pre-Oscars for a total Canadian event that drew hundreds of Canadian movers and shakers in Beverly Hills.
Telefilm Canada, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles, in collaboration with Bell Media and the Toronto International Film Festival, co-hosted a tribute celebrating Canadian excellence in the film and television industries.
Norman Jewison on the red carpet
The event was held in Los Angeles on Thursday, February 27th at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills. The invitees included Canadian Academy Awards nominees, select Canadian Screen Awards nominees, and other high-profile Canadian talent. Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Norman Jewison (Moonstruck, Fiddler on the Roof, In the Heat of the Night) who served as Honourary Chair for the event.
This year’s event in Los Angeles marked the first year in which the Academy Awards and Canadian Screen Awards nominees were brought together in a true partnership of Canadian talent. Canada’s key organizations and supporters joined forces to elevate talent and filmmakers and placing them on a global stage.
This star-studded event held atop the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills promoted the achievements of talent in the entertainment capital of the world on the cusp of both the Academy Awards and the Canadian Screen Awards. It gave many expatriates and invited guests to mingle and congratulate each other while hearing important messages from film director Norman Jewison, Consul General of Canada James Villeneuve, Executive Director of Telefilm Carolle Brabant and the Academy’s Helga Stevenson.
Helga Stephenson, CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, further added, “The year 2014 will mark the year in which the Canadian industry worked together to support its creators and talent. With the Canadian Screen Awards, we have learned that there is power in numbers, and it is now our country’s turn to stand up and be noticed. We are excited to be able to co-host the event in Los Angeles and support our talent at home and abroad.”
“As Canadians we are known to be humble in our achievements, however it’s important to celebrate our homegrown stars of the film and television industries,” said Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF. “I’m extremely honoured to be a part of this inaugural tribute.”
According to Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media: “We are pleased to once again play a role in recognizing our homegrown talent and celebrating their success, both in Canada and abroad.”
Talent and filmmakers in attendance included:
Adam Beach, Adam Korson, Alanis Obomsawin, Alan Hamel, Ali Liebert, Amanda Plummer, Amy Sloan, Andrew Koyama, Anna Hopkins, April Mullen, Barbara Williams, Benjamin Charles Watson, Beth Pasternak, Billy Riback, Brigitte Bako, Brittany Allen, Caity Lotz, Cara Gee, Carl Bessai, Carl Freed, Chandra West, Chelsea McMullan, Claude Foisy, Claudia Feri, Colin Doncaster, Colin Keith Gray, Craig Goodwill, Darrin Rose, David Cardwell, David 
Webb, Dayle McLeod, Dylan Bruce, Ellen Wong, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Frederic Bohbot, Geoff Browne, Heidi Levitt, Hugh Dillon, Huse Madhavji, Jamie Elman, Jamie Spilchuk, Jennifer Finnigan, Jeremy Podeswa, Jeremy Torrie, Jesse Camacho, Jesse Rath, Jodi Balfour, John Kapelos, Jonathan Keltz, JP Manoux, Karine Vanasse, Katie Boland, Kawennáhere (Devery) Jacobs, Keon Mohajeri, Kerry McPherson, Laura Vandervoort, Laysla De Oliveira, Levi MacDougall, Liane Balaban, Lochlyn Munro, Luc St.Pierre, Lyndie Greenwood, Malcolm Clarke, Mark Hildreth, Matthew Budman, Meaghan Rath, Megan Park, Meghan Ory, Megan Raney Aarons, Miranda Kwok, Nadia Litz, Nazneen Contractor, Norman Jewison, Pat Kiely, Patrick Gallagher, Paul Campbell, Pom Klementieff, Raoul Bhaneja, Raymond Ablack, Robert Joy, Robert Lantos, Richie Mehta, Roger Frappier, Semi Chellas, Sergio Di Zio, Sheila McCarthy, Sook-Yin Lee, Suzanne Clément, Suzanne Sommers, Ted Kotcheff, Tim Doiron, Tim McAuliffe, Tonya Williams, Tracy Dawson, Tricia Helfer, Tyler Johnston, Tayler Labine, Valli O’Reilly, Vanessa Matsui, Vik Sahay, Vinessa Antoine, Wendel Meldrum and Wendy Crewson. Also on hand were the crew from ETalk including Ben Mulroney and Tanya Kim who co-hosted the event.
The initiative was made possible with the partnership of Bell Media and the Toronto International Film Festival and with the support of the Motion Picture Association of Canada, the National Film Board of Canada and the Canadian Film Centre.
Photos and Report by Joey Cee
