Josh Turnbull said it's “absolutely exciting” to be nominated for best vocal performance on a recording at the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards (NOMFA).
The Sudbury-based musician is nominated for the song, “You Won't Drown,” from the 2016 album Field Test he recorded with friend Sara Ciantar.
Half of the songs on the album are Turnbull's and half are Ciantar's, and each accompanied the other's vocals.
“It's just awesome to be nominated for such an award,” he said. “This is my first album fronting. Normally I'm playing drums in a band. This is my first time stepping up and singing a song.”
Turnbull was on hand at Fromagerie Elgin May 4 as NOMFA organizers revealed the nominees in 13 different categories.
NOMFA, held every two years, takes place this year May 25-27, and includes a series of industry workshops and panels. The awards are handed out May 27.
New award categories this year include best francophone album, best television or video on demand (VOD) series and best television or VOD episode.
With the local music and film industries growing so quickly, it's important to acknowledge and be proud of what's happening, said Tammy Frick, associate executive director of Music and Film in Motion, which puts on the event.
NOMFA brings people from the music and film industries together and allows them to foster relationships, she said.
“When people start communicating and chatting, it's amazing how they go on to work on projects together,” Frick said.
“These mini conferences are very, very important to our growth as an industry.”
Learn more about NOMFA 2017 on the event's website.
The nominees:
Best Screenwriter
Erin Pitkethly - Jay Walking – Corbeil
Marla J. Hayes - Old Fart Squad – North Bay
Ryan La Via - Dear Mom – Thunder Bay
Best Vocal Performance on a Recording
Josh Turnbull - “You Won't Drown” - Sudbury
Mike Charette - “Up All Night” - Sudbury
Kassie Tyers - “Nothing Better Than Love” - Sudbury
Matt Thibeault – “The Human Flaw” - North Bay
Tessa Gooden - “Quake” - Sudbury
Best Short/Mid-Length Film
Camani - Directed by Dale Carrigan – Shot in North Bay
Farewell Fire – Directed by Scott Armstrong – Shot in Sudbury
Private Sessions - Directed by Zahra Golafshani – Shot in Sudbury
Return Voyage - Directed by Ben Bruhmuller – Shot in Sudbury
The Maltese Guinea Pig - Directed by Luke Grandmont – Shot in Sault Ste. Marie
Best Director
Ben Bruhmuller - Return Voyage – Sudbury
Dale Carrigan – Camani – North Bay
Jamie M. Dagg – River – Timmins
Martin M. Smith – Ordinary Miracle – Sudbury and North Bay
Scott Armstrong - Farewell Fire – Sudbury
Best Songwriter
David Dino White – “The Hair” (songwriter: David White) - North Bay
Hidden Roots Collective – “Let You Go” (songwriter: Rose-Erin Stokes) - North Bay Jamie Gia – “Body Math” (songwriter: Jamie Giardini) - Timmins, Canisbay Township Kalle Mattson – “A Long Time Ago” (songwriter: Kalle Mattson) - Sault Ste. Marie Murder Murder – “Jon & Mary” (songwriters: Sam Cassio, Jon Danyliw, Barry Miles) - Sudbury
Best Video by a Northern Ontario Musical Act
Jackson Reed – “Goodbye Endless Summer” (Dir: Shawn Kosmerly) - Goulais River Jennifer Holub – “The Wolf” (Dir: Shawn Kosmerly) – Sudbury
Kalle Mattson – “Avalanche” (Dir: Philip Sportel) - Sault Ste. Marie
Mimi O'Bonsawin – “How Long” (Dir: Alex McFarland) - Sudbury
Murder Murder – “Movin' On” (Dir: Shawn Kosmerly) – Sudbury
Best Television or VOD Episode
“A Fuss in the Back Bush,” Letterkenny Season 1 –Shot in Sudbury
“Relationships,” Letterkenny Season 2 – Shot in Sudbury
“Uncle Eddie’s Trust,” Letterkenny Season 2 – Shot in Sudbury
“Croire aux licornes,” St-Nickel saison 1 – Shot in Sudbury
“Loaves and Fishes,” What Would Sal Do? Season 1 – Shot in Sudbury
Best Engineer
Ben Leggett (for David Dino White) – Hair of the Dog - North Bay
Rob Nickerson (for Matt Sellick) – Nocturne and The Knackers – Swimmers - Thunder Bay
Rusty McCarthy (for MD Dunn) – Solace - Sault Ste. Marie
Shawn Sasyniuk (for Matt Thibeault) – Cycles - North Bay
Best Performance by an Actor in a Northern Ontario Production
Dane DeHaan - Two Lovers and a Bear – Shot in Timmins
Ethan Hawke - Born to Be Blue – Shot in Sudbury and Espanola
Joel Kinnaman - Edge of Winter – Shot in Sudbury
Christine Lahti - The Steps – Shot in Parry Sound
Tatiana Maslany - Two Lovers and a Bear – Shot in Timmins
Anya Taylor-Joy – The Witch – Shot in Kiosk
Meilleur Album Par Un Artiste Francophone
Antoine Tremblay-Beaulieu – La Couleur de mon coeur - Sudbury
Céleste Lévis – Céleste - Timmins
Edouard Landry – Pomme plastique II - Sudbury
McLean – Sans l’abri d'un quand - Sudbury
Stef Paquette – EP - Sudbury
Best Television or VOD Series
Hard Rock Medical - Shot in Sudbury and North Bay
Letterkenny – Shot in Sudbury
St-Nickel – Shot in Sudbury
Best Album
Brigitte Lebel – The View - North Bay
Hidden Roots Collective – Come Up, Honey - North Bay Jackson Reed – The November Gales - Goulais River
Jamie Gia – Nope - Timmins, Canisbay Township
Kalle Mattson – Avalanche - Sault Ste. Marie
Best Feature Film
Born to Be Blue - Directed by Robert Budreau (Entertainment One, 2015) – Shot in Sudbury and Espanola
Remember - Directed by Atom Egoyan (Entertainment One, 2015) – Shot in Sault Ste. Marie
Sleeping Giant - Directed by Andrew Cividino (D Films, 2015) – Shot in Thunder Bay The Witch - Directed by Robert Eggers (Elevation Pictures, 2015) – Shot in Kiosk Two Lovers and a Bear - Directed by Kim Nguyen (Entertainment One, 2016) – Shot in Timmins
