Dune: Part 2 director Denis Villeneuve is set to receive a special trophy at the upcoming Canadian Screen Awards.
The Montreal-based film writer, director and producer, also known for movies like Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 and the 2021 Dune big screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic novel, will receive the Academy Icon Award, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television said on Wednesday.
Villeneuve’s early French language movies, including Maelstrom, Incendies, Polytechnique and Enemy, his English Canadian film debut that starred Jake Gyllenhaal in two roles, picked up a slew of Canadian Screen Awards and the predecessor Genie Awards over the years.
Other special award winners include Blue Ant Media CEO Michael MacMillan, who is set to receive an Industry Leadership Award, and Quebec actor Patrick Huard, best known for roles in Les Boys and Bon Cop, Bad Cop, chosen to receive the Earle Grey Award.
Canada’s film and TV awards, culminating in a May 31 telecast, will include tribute awards for late director Jeff Barnaby, actors Devery Jacobs and Lamar Johnson, producer John Brunton, Paul Workman, Tonya Williams and Marilyn Denis.
On March 6, the Canadian indigenous TV drama Little Bird was handed a field-leading 19 nominations heading into the awards show. And Canada’s national cinema and TV awards for the second year running will be an invite-only event in Toronto with no live broadcast or streaming for prize-giving.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television pushed the dates for the country’s equivalent of the Oscars and Emmys combined to May 28-31 in Toronto, with Mae Martin set to host a TV special to celebrate award winners
