The Canadian Screen Awards will transition to gender-neutral performance categories for lead and supporting performers in the film and television awards, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television has announced.
This shift will go into effect for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards and will see an increase in the number of nominations per category from five to eight, it emerged on Thursday (August 25). Submissions will open on September 14.
The switch follows broad consultation with 40 industry bodies over five years. Going forward the awards will recognise performance in a leading role and performance in a supporting role in the film categories, and lead performer and supporting performer in both comedy and drama TV categories, as well as best lead performer in TV movie.
The Canadian Screen Awards have awarded gender-neutral performance categories in the digital media awards stream since 2019.
“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,” said Louis Calabro, the Academy’s interim CEO.
John Young, chair, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, added: “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.”
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