The quality of the nominees for this year's Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards (NOMFA) is “mind-blowing,” said the music outreach officer for Music and Film in Motion, the organization presenting the awards.
Awards will be handed out May 25 in 13 categories for excellence in music, film and television/video on demand.
Speaking at an April 16 press conference where the 2019 nominees were revealed, Jen McKerral said she's excited about the many new names on the list.
“There's a constant flow of really great talent in the north,” she said.
New this year is an award for Outstanding Album by an Indigenous Artist.
“This is something we've developed over the past couple of years along with our new Indigenous Music Mentorship Program,” McKerral said.
“Having a program that specifically develops and recognizes Indigenous talent, it's really important for our region. We have a lot of Indigenous artists. Our goal is to just be more supportive and more of a soapbox for them.”
NOMFA, running May 23-25, is held every two years, and attracts about 1,000 participants. Besides the awards evening, the event includes industry panels and professional development workshops.
“I think the big thing is networking,” said Rob Riselli, film programs and reporting supervisor for Music and Film in Motion.
“Because it's almost that old adage of six degrees of separation. You talk to one person, they know somebody else, and they set you up with somebody else.
“It gives you an opportunity, whether it's developing your script, or finding out where you can record your music, or things along that line.”
And here are the nominees:
Outstanding Feature Film
Falls Around Her – Directed by Darlene Naponse – Atikameksheng Anishnawbek
Giant Little Ones – Directed by Keith Behrman – Sault Ste. Marie
Indian Horse – Directed by Stephen S. Campanelli – Greater Sudbury
The New Romantic – Directed by Carly Stone – Greater Sudbury
Through Black Spruce – Directed by Don McKellar – Moosonee
Outstanding Short/Mid-Length Film
Bonsai Dream – Directed by Jimmie Chiverelli – Sault Ste. Marie.
Future Sick – Directed by Aaron Martini – North Bay
The Last Wish – Directed by Vladimir Sokolskyy – Sault Ste. Marie
The Philanthropist – Directed by Jayson Stewart – Massey
Post-Script – Directed by Eric Robillard – North Bay
Outstanding Screenwriter
Darlene Naponse – Falls Around Her – Atikameksheng Anishnawbek
Erin Pitkethly – As The Crow Flies – North Bay
Jayson Stewart – The Philanthropist – Massey
Lee Chambers & Kris Ketonen – Norbert and the Gnomes – Thunder Bay
Lee Chambers & Nick Murphy – Slade – Thunder Bay
Outstanding performance by an actor in a Northern Ontario production
Brandon Oakes – Through Black Spruce
Brett Dier – The New Romantic
Hayley Law – The New Romantic
Jessica Barden – The New Romantic
Josh Wiggins – Giant Little Ones
Tantoo Cardinal – Through Black Spruce
Outstanding Director
Aaron Martini – Daze of Dreams – North Bay
Aaron Martini – Future Sick – North Bay
Darlene Naponse – Falls Around Her – Atikameksheng Anishnawbek
Eric Robillard – Post-Script – North Bay
Michelle Derosier – Angelique's Isle – Thunder Bay
Outstanding Television or VOD Series
Amelie et compangnie – TFO – Greater Sudbury
Bad Blood Season 2 – City TV – Greater Sudbury
Cardinal Season 1 – CTV – Greater Sudbury & North Bay
Cardinal Season 2 – CTV – North Bay
Letterkenny Season 3 – Crave – Greater Sudbury
Outstanding Album
The Ape-ettes – The Ape-ettes – Greater Sudbury
Kalle Mattson – Youth – Sault Ste. Marie
Matt Thibeault – I Own a Bittersweet Flashlight – North Bay
Mike Mikus – Mike Mikus – Sault Ste. Marie
Pharos of Alexandria (Oli Palkovits) – Flowers of Atamaca – Greater Sudbury
Quantum Tangle – Shelter as We Go… – Greater Sudbury
Outstanding Album by a Francophone Artist
Céleste Lévis – Donne-moi le temps – Timmins
Cindy Doire – Panorama – Timmins
Edouard Landry – L'escalade – Greater Sudbury
Mclean – Une dernière fois – Greater Sudbury
Outstanding Engineer
Chris Dorota – Glory Days by Greenbank – Thunder Bay
Greyson Gritt – Shelter As We Go by Quantum Tangle – Greater Sudbury
Jacques Grylls – Madre Amiga Hermana by Patricia Cano – Greater Sudbury
Shawn Sasyniuk – I Own a Bittersweet Flashlight by Matt Thibeault – North Bay
Tessa Giro-Gooden – Fool Love by TESSA – Greater Sudbury
Outstanding Songwriter
Cindy Doire – Ta Fumée – Timmins
Coleman Hell – Manic – Thunder Bay
The Honest Heart Collective (songwriter: Ryan MacDonald) – Separate Ways – Thunder Bay
Kalle Mattson – Astronaut – Sault Ste. Marie
Rose-Erin Stokes – Wanderer – North Bay
Outstanding Vocal Performance on a Recording
Céleste Lévis – 100 ans – Timmins
Jennifer Holub – Way Out – Greater Sudbury
Mike Charette – Give It Up – Greater Sudbury
Patricia Cano – Gracias a la Vida – Greater Sudbury
TESSA (vocalist: Tessa Giro-Gooden) – Faking It – Greater Sudbury
Outstanding Video by a Northern Ontario Musical Act
Frank Deresti and the Lake Effect – Truth – Sault Ste. Marie
Jennifer Holub – Island — Greater Sudbury
Kalle Mattson – Kids On the Run – Sault Ste. Marie
Kutch – Bottleneck – Thunder Bay
Webby D – Alright Okay – Thunder Bay
Outstanding Album by an Indigenous Artist
Collin Clowes – Blackbird – Thunder Bay
Mike Mikus – Mike Mikus – Sault Ste. Marie
Quantum Tangle – Shelter As We Go… – Greater Sudbury
