IATSE Gets Behind Canadian Screen Awards Makeover

TORONTO – IATSE does its biggest business in Canada servicing local U.S. shoots.

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Now the U.S.-based crew union is getting behind the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television as it prepares to roll out the local industry’s revamped film and TV awards.

Krista Hurdon, operations manager at IATSE’s Canadian office, has joined the Academy’s national advisory council ahead of the inaugural Canadian Screen Awards on Mar 3.

The new local union voice for the Academy includes reps for ACTRA, the country’s actors union and the Directors Guild of Canada as homegrown actor Martin Short gets set to host the consolidated film, TV and digital media kudosfest from Toronto.

IATSE joining a remade Academy's coming-out-party follows the replacement of the former Genies, which celebrated homegrown film, and the Geminis, Canada’s TV awards, with a single annual broadcast on the CBC to honor screen-based Canadian content.

The award show organizer also installed a slimmed-down board of directors filled with Toronto power-brokers.

To maintain national representation, the Academy next created a national advisory council to represent regions outside Ontario and Quebec.

The inaugural Canadian Screen Awards will be ushered in with an industry-sponsored Canadian Screen Week from Feb. 26 to March 3.