The four-part Crave documentary series “Thunder Bay,” exploring racism and the murder of Indigenous people in the City of Thunder Bay, was one of the big winners at the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards (NOMFA) June 29.
“Thunder Bay” won for both Outstanding Television or Video on Demand Series and for Outstanding Director (Ryan McMahon and Leslie Lucas).
“When you're lucky enough to have the platform, lucky enough to tell these stories to large audiences, you owe it to those people to put them on screen and to share their stories,” said McMahon, speaking at the awards ceremony, held at Place des Arts in Sudbury.
“Many of the people's stories that we shared were people that weren't believed the first time they told their stories, people that are easy to ignore, or people that have been ignored. So to all of those that were brave enough to share their stories with us so that we can share those stories with you, this is for them.”
The award ceremony, hosted by comedian Jeff Paul, was just one part of NOMFA 2024, which ran from June 27-29, and also included networking sessions, professional development activities and artist showcases.
Given the impact on the arts scene from the pandemic, this is the first time NOMFA has been held since 2019.
“I want to give a shout out not just to the award winners and to the nominees, I want to give a shout out to all artists across Northern Ontario, who have been resilient during the pandemic, who have continued to make, great film, great music, great television,” said event organizer Patrick O’Hearn.
He’s the associate artistic director of Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION), which puts on the NOMFA event.
“We're really happy this event came back after five years, and we're really really pleased with the whole three-day conference,” O’Hearn added.
Another NOMFA 2024 multi award-winner is Nicholas Cangiano, who won for both Outstanding Album for his album New Occasion and for Outstanding Songwriter for his song “Dazed.”
Cangiano, who also performed during the NOMFA award ceremony, is a Montreal-based multi-instrumentalist from North Bay.
Promotional materials for NOMFA said “Cangiano uses his savvy for several instruments – most notably guitar, bass, and keys – to blend influences of classic funk and soul with modern pop and rock together into fresh, infectious productions.”
Sudbury-based group the Ape-Ettes won for Outstanding Video by a Northern Ontario Musical Act for their video “Hearing Protection,” which was directed by Jeff Houle and Curtis Carriere.
“We're so honoured,” said Ape-Ettes member Julie Katrinette, a guitarist, singer and songwriter with the all-female garage-pop trio. “You know, amongst all the greats and nominees, it's just nice to be recognized for something we are being creative and doing something we love.”
The Ape-Ettes performed during the NOMFA ceremony as well as at the after-party at the Townehouse Tavern.
Unfortunately, Katrinette had a bit of an equipment malfunction at the awards ceremony, as the amp for her guitar wasn’t working the first time they performed their song “Hearing Protection.” But with the crowd made up of fellow creatives, an audience member yelled out a suggestion that quickly sorted the technical issue.
Sudbury’s David Lickley won for Outstanding Screenwriter for his IMAX film “Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope.”
The film takes audiences on a global journey to showcase good news stories that reinforce world-famous environmentalist Jane Goodall's four pillars of hope: the resilience of nature, the power of youth, the indomitable human spirit, and the amazing human intellect.
With a master’s degree in biology from the University of Alberta, Lickley has made over 30 nature and science documentaries. He is also the Director of Large Format Films at Science North.
Lickley said this is the first large-format film he’s done that was a truly northern production, as it has gotten to the point that he can source his entire crew from this region.
Another Sudbury-based NOMFA 2024 winner is Matt Wiewel, who won for Outstanding Engineer for his work on the group Status/Non-Status’ album Surely Travel. He was also nominated in the same category for his work on an album for the group Bad Actors.
Wiewel, who has nearly 15 years of diverse production experience, “has been able to finely craft his skills as an audio engineer, producer, and musician,” said promotional materials for NOMFA.
Maddie Ziegler won for Outstanding Performance by an Actor for “Fitting In,” which was filmed in Greater Sudbury.
NOMFA promotional materials said Ziegler is one of Gen Z’s most celebrated actors and dancers. The indie feature “Fitting In” is a coming-of-age “traumedy” in which she stars alongside Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek).
Written and directed by Molly McGlynn, this film follows 16-year-old Lindy (Ziegler), who is unexpectedly diagnosed with a reproductive condition that upends her plans to have sex, presumptions about womanhood and relationship with her mother (Hampshire).
“I feel so lucky to be a part of a film that's the first of its kind, and I'm also proud to have helped break the stigma around reproductive health,” said Ziegler, who could not be at the ceremony, but sent in a filmed speech.
Other NOMFA 2024 award winners include:
- Evan Redsky for Oblivion (Mississaugi First Nation) - Outstanding Album by an Indigenous Artist
- TIBO (Matthew Thibeault) for Catalepsie (North Bay) - Outstanding Francophone Album
- “My Animal,” directed by Jacquline Castel (filmed in Timmins) - Outstanding Feature Film
- Matthew Lyon and Aljosha Klimov for “Red Iron Road: No. 8 Reporting” (animated in North Bay) - Outstanding Short/Mid-Length Film
- Piotr Skowronski for the film “Bang Bang” (North Bay) - Outstanding Director of a Short/Mid-Length Film
For a full list of the NOMFA nominees and full details on the conference, visit the NOMFA website.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.