THE BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL announced today its 2020 Rockie Awards International Program Competition winners will be announced during a global livestream broadcast on YouTube on Monday, June 15 at 3 p.m. ET.
The virtual presentation will be hosted by three of the stars of CBC/Radio-Canada’s Baroness von Sketch Show, Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor and Jennifer Whalen. The awards ceremony will feature celebrity presenters and award winners from around the world. More than 128 nominees from 35 countries are competing for this year’s Rockie Awards.
Featured talent will include Niecy Nash (Mrs. America, When They See Us), Jason Priestley (Private Eyes, Beverly Hills, 90210), Cindy Sampson (Private Eyes), Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Hamza Haq (Transplant), Ayisha Issa (Transplant) and Gary the Unicorn (The Studio K Show).
“This year’s Rockie Awards will be like no other,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, executive director of the Banff World Media Festival, in the news release. “When it became clear that we would have to cancel the in-person festival, including the Rockie Awards, our team immediately began planning a virtual extravaganza. So many incredible partners and talent jumped at the chance to help, and now global audiences will be treated to a truly unique, meaningful and entertaining show featuring surprise award presentations by some of Canada’s most well-known talent, the incredible comedy of the Baronesses, and the honouring of the best programs in the world along with some very special recipients via the festival’s special awards.”
Juried by 150 senior international media industry professionals, the Rockie Awards is one of the world’s largest program competitions of its kind with 26 categories, including scripted, documentary and factual, children and youth, arts and entertainment and — new this year — podcast. Additional awards include the Grand Jury Prize, the Canadian Award of Distinction, the Innovative Producer Award, the Inclusion Award, the Rockies Francophone Prize, and the Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content.
The list of nominees for the 2020 Rockie Awards can be found here.
As part of the virtual Rockie Awards ceremony, the Banff Festival has partnered with the Banff Canmore Community Foundation to raise awareness and funds for the Bow Valley Emergency Fund, benefiting the residents of the town of Banff, which has suffered more than 85% unemployment due to closures resulting from the Covid-19 health crisis.
Also new for 2020, the Banff Festival gathered select nominees for Rockie Awards roundtable conversations presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada. Registered Banff Festival virtual pass delegates can view the Rockie Awards roundtables now on Banff Xchange.
The live YouTube streaming event for the 2020 Rockie Awards on June 15 will be available for viewing here.
