Irish productions have received nominations at the Gemini Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the US Emmys) with World 2000’s dramatised recounting of the life of Henry Tudor in ‘The Tudors’ receiving ten nominations and Tile Films (Ireland) and Ballinran Productions (Canada) receiving four for ‘Death or Canada’, the two part HD Famine series.
The IFTA winning series ‘The Tudors’ has been nominated in no less than ten categories which includes ‘Best Dramatic Series’ for producers Sheila Hockin, Gary Howsam and Morgan O’Sullivan. Jeremy Podeswa has been nominated in the ‘Best Direction in a Dramatic Series’ category. In the category of ‘Best Writing in a Dramatic Series’ Michael Hirst has received a nomination.
Also nominated is Ousama Rawi in the category of ‘Best Photography in a Dramatic Programme or Series’ and Wendy Hallam Martin for ‘Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Programme or Series’.
The sound team of Jane Tattersall, Daniel Birch, Yuri Gorbachow, Goro Koyama, Martin Lee, Kirk Lynds, David MaCallum and Dale Sheldrake have been nominated for ‘Best Sound in a Dramatic Series’ and Tom Conroy and Colman Corish had received nods for their production designs in the category of ‘Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Programme or Series’.
Furthermore, Joan Bergin has landed a nomination for ‘Best Costume Design’ and Bob Munroe, Terry Bradley, Bret Culp, Maria Gordon, Luke Groves, Bill Halliday, Bo Mosley, Josa Porter and Patrik Witzmann’s work has been recognised with a nomination in ‘Best Visual Effects’/ Natalie Dormer’s performance has seen her nominated for ‘Best performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role’ alongside her co-star David Alpay nominated in the ‘Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series’ category.
‘The Tudors’ series examines the turbulent reign of King Henry VIII and his many marriages. The series is produced by the Showtime Network in the US, and is co-produced by Morgan O'Sullivan and James Flynn of World 2000 Entertainment.
’Death or Canada’, the dramatised documentary which is directed by IFTA winning Ruán Magan and produced by Craig Thompson, Dave Farrell and Stephen Rooke, has been nominated for the ‘Best History Documentary’ documentary. In addition, Colm Whelan received a nomination for ‘Best Photography in a Documentary’ and the work of Allan Fung, Dale Lennon and Steve Moore received a ‘Best Sound in a Documentary’ nomination. Finally Christoper Dedrick’s composing has garnered him a nomination in the category of ‘Best Original Music Score In A Documentary’
The two part series tells the tragic and true story of one family's epic journey to Canada fleeing the Irish famine in 1847. Archaeologists and historians helped in the reconstruction of a pivotal moment in North America's Irish history, when Toronto was hugely weakened by a refugee and public health crisis that threatened the city's very future.
Producer Stephen Rooke told IFTN “We were delighted when ‘Cromwell in Ireland’ won the IFTA for best single documentary this year, but to be nominated for four Gemini Awards is a great honour and a great credit also to our co-production partner Craig Thompson.”
’Death or Canada’ was produced by Tile Films (Ireland) and Ballinran Productions/Summer of Sorrow Productions (Canada) for RTÉ, Canwest Broadcastings, History Channel UK with the participation of the BCI Sound and Vision Broadcasting Funding Scheme, The Canadian Television Fund, Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Film or Television Production Tax Credit and the Ontario Media Development Corporation Film and Television Tax Credit.
The Award’s main ceremony will take place in Toronto on October 19th.
