The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is a Canadian nonprofit organization created in 1979 to recognize the achievements of the over 4,000 Canadian film industry and television industry professionals, most notably through the Canadian Screen Awards.[2] The mandate of the Academy is to honour outstanding achievements; to heighten public awareness of and increase audience attendance of and appreciation of Canadian film and television productions; and to provide critically needed, high-quality professional development programs, conferences and publications.[1]
Background
Since 2012, the Academy's primary national awards program is the Canadian Screen Awards, which were announced that year as a replacement for the formerly distinct Genie Award (for film) and Gemini Award (for television) ceremonies. The Prix Gémeaux for French-language television remains a separate awards program.[3][4] The organization also administers the Prism Prize for music videos.[5]
Since December 2023, the chair of the board of directors is Thomas Santram and the vice-chair is Solange Attwood.[8] The previous chair was John Young of Boat Rocker Media.[9]
Milestones
1979 – The Academy of Canadian Cinema is established
1993 – The Claude Jutra Award is established to recognize first time directors
Following the February 2016 publication of Yves Lever's biography of Jutra, containing allegations that Jutra had sexually abused underage children during his lifetime, the Academy announced that it was removing Jutra's name from the award.[10] The award is now called the John Dunning Best First Feature Award.[11]
1995 – The Academy's official website, academy.ca, goes online
Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television Note: Awards by year articles are listed here by the year of eligibility for nomination; due to variable scheduling of the ceremonies, this is not always the same year in which the awards were presented.
