Screen Nova Scotia hosted its 11th annual awards gala on Saturday, May 31, at the Halifax Convention Centre in front of a sold-out crowd of 600 industry members and supporters. Hosted by actor Reid Price (Sullivan’s Crossing, FROM), the gala event recognizes and celebrates the incredible talent, creativity, and passion that are the trademarks of Nova Scotia’s film, television and animation industry, and shines a spotlight on homegrown Nova Scotian stories and voices.
Read below or click HERE to see the full list of 2025 award winners.
The night’s finale was the Screen Nova Scotia Award for Best Feature Film, sponsored by the Director’s Guild of Canada, which went to Sharp Corner from writer/director Jason Buxton and producers Marc Tetreault and Jason Levangie (Shut Up & Colour Pictures) and Paul Barkin (Alcina Pictures). Starring Ben Foster and Cobie Smulders, the film follows Josh (Foster), a troubled man increasingly consumed by the fatal car crashes in front of his house.
The first season of the Crave comedy The Trades was crowned the winner of the Best Scripted Television Series Award. Produced by Trailer Park Boys and Kontent House, The Trades follows refinery employees at Conch Industries, balancing the conflicting personalities of a small town with the antics of a stressful workplace. The series also proved to be a showcase for local talent, with Gil Anderson winning an ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performances, and Robb Wells, Susan Kent, and Jason Daley winning the ACTRA Maritimes Award for Series Ensemble.
Meanwhile, the Best Unscripted Television Series Award went to the French docuseries Les quatre coins de l’assiette (Season 3) from Connexions Productions. The captivating series follows culinary photographer and foodie Jessica Emin as she explores the connection between unique dishes created by top chefs and the local food used to create them.
The Best Documentary Award went to Tell Tale Productions’ Great White North, an action-packed documentary filmed in the waters off Lunenburg that examines the explosion of Great White Shark encounters off Canada’s East Coast. Women in Film & Television – Atlantic’s Best Nova Scotia Director Award went to filmmaker Pamela Gallant for her debut feature film Monica’s News, a dark drama about the loss of innocence set in the 1970s.
“Congratulations to all the 2025 nominees and award winners,” said Laura Mackenzie, Executive Director, Screen Nova Scotia. “Tonight we celebrate our industry and all those who contributed to bringing authentic and compelling Nova Scotian stories to life.”
The awards also highlighted the incredible work being done by ACTRA Maritimes talent, with Reid Price winning an Outstanding Performance Award for his role in the hit CTV series Sullivan’s Crossing (Season 2) and Donovan Colan taking home the trophy for his performance in the thriller The Dogs (dir. Valerie Buhagiar). Nicole Steeves also took home an ACTRA Award for her performance in the queer comedic feature Lakeview, which she also produced (dir. Tara Thorne).
The Best Short Film Award went to Charles Wahl’s film Paper, which follows three interweaving stories about the vicious cycle of debt and desperation. Best Animated Production was awarded to Megan Wennberg’s short documentary Bloody Mess, which chronicles her experience with fibroids and her darkly funny journey through the medical system. The award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography went to Director of Photography Kevin Fraser, whose cinematography credits span features, shorts, television, web series, documentaries, and commercials.
The Groundbreaking Performance Award, which celebrates a performer who identifies as being from an underrepresented community and does not yet meet the eligibility criteria for the ACTRA awards for their work in a film or television/web series, went to actor Akshay Shirke for his performance in Bell Fibe TV1’s Normal Scotia. The new series, which was recently renewed for a second season, follows a pair of newly landed Indian immigrants who have to learn the ways of the locals in Nova Scotia.
The 2025 Film Crew Excellence Award went to set designer Tom Anthes, who started his career with CBC in 1967, designing virtually every east coast CBC production. For the past 32 seasons, Tom has been the set designer for the award-winning sketch comedy series This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Over the course of 850 episodes, he designed 2000+ sets, from kitchens to bunkers, castles to cabins, and submarines to news desks. Known for being a master of his craft and a generous teacher and mentor, Anthes’ talent and love of the industry shine through in his vast body of work.
The Community Recognition Award recipient was Sobaz Benjamin, Founder & Executive Director of In My Own Voice (iMOVe) Arts Association. For nearly two decades, iMOVe Arts Association, under the leadership of Benjamin, has been a transformative force in Nova Scotia. Through innovative arts-based programming, iMOVe has empowered marginalized individuals, particularly from African Nova Scotian communities, by using film as a tool for healing, self-expression, career building, and leadership development.
The Screen Nova Scotia Awards were made possible this year with the support of many generous sponsors, including Platinum Partners at the Directors Guild of Canada, Support4Culture, IATSE 849, Sunbelt Rentals, ACTRA Maritimes, and 902 Post.