Canadian Screen Awards transitioning to gender-neutral performance categories
Posted August 25, 2022 10:19 am.
Calling it a “necessary step” towards equality, the Canadian Screen Awards is transitioning to gender-neutral performance categories, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced on Thursday.
The new gender-neutral categories for lead and supporting performers in the film and television awards categories will go into effect for the 2023 awards.
The Canadian Screen Awards has already adopted gender-neutral performance categories in the digital media awards since 2019, but said in a release that the further expansion reflects a “groundbreaking change” in the industry.
The shift to more gender-neutral categories will see an accompanying increase in the number of nominations per category from five to eight.
“As the Canadian Academy, we recognize it is our duty to ensure that every performer has the opportunity to fully participate in our awards programs and the industry, in general, and this move brings us closer to that goal,” Louis Calabro, Interim CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, said in a release.
The Academy said the change comes after a “large-scale consultation” which included 40 key industry organizations over the last five years.
“It is with careful consideration and in-depth discussions that we made the important decision to implement gender-neutral performance categories in film and television at the Canadian Screen Awards,” said John Young, Chair, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
“The Canadian Academy believes this is a progressive, necessary step towards an equitable screen-based industry by ensuring all Canadian performers are eligible to be honoured by their peers, and are thrilled to be among the first Academy of its kind in the world to implement this format.”
The performance categories in film and television for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards will be presented as follows:
Television:
- Best Lead Performer, Comedy (Previously Best Lead Actor/Actress, Comedy)
- Best Lead Performer, Drama Series (Previously Best Lead Actor/Actress, Drama Series)
- Best Lead Performer, TV Movie (Previously Best Lead Actor/Actress, TV Movie)
- Best Supporting Performer, Comedy (Previously Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Comedy
- Best Supporting Performer, Drama (Previously Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Drama)
Film:
- Performance in a Leading Role (Previously Performance by an Actor/Actress in a Leading Role)
- Performance in a Supporting Role (Previously Performance by an Actor/Actress in a Supporting Role)
