‘North of North’ and ’40 Acres’ lead Canadian Screen Awards nominations

TORONTO –  

A raunchy Arctic comedy series and a nerve-jangling post-apocalyptic thriller are the leading nominees going into this year’s Canadian Screen Awards.

“North of North” tops both TV and overall nominations with 20, including best comedy series and a lead performer nomination for Anna Lambe. 

“It’s been such a wonderful experience to have people around the world be very excited about the show,” Lambe said in a video interview Wednesday from the set of Season 2 in Iqaluit.

“There’s been a couple of times when I was walking around in London, in the U.K., or in New York where people have gone like, ‘”North of North?”‘ ‘Yeah, I am!’ I think that is beautiful.”

The show co-produced by CBC and Netflix in partnership with APTN. It’s distributed internationally by the U.S. streamer. 

“You know, like, six-, seven-year-old girls kind of like poking their mom’s leg and being, ‘anana that’s Siaja!’ and how that makes me want to cry. And that experience of like, so many Inuit … seeing themselves in the show and feeling really empowered through it — that has been such a massive gift of being able to kind of share it with the world,” Lambe said.

Lambe stars as a young Inuk mother who craves more than the predictable life she’s been living in Ice Cove, a tight-knit Arctic town. 

And while “North of North” scored the most nominations overall, Crave’s hit hockey romance “Heated Rivalry” followed closely behind with 18, including best drama series, a directing nod for Jacob Tierney and best lead performer nods for François Arnaud and Hudson Williams.

But it’s no rivalry between the two shows, said creator and executive producer Stacey Aglok MacDonald.

“Canada is a small industry up here as well, so there is crossover between our shows. Jackson Parrell was (director of photography) for ‘Heated Rivalry,’ he’s (director of photography) for us in Season 1 and Season 2, and so we’re over here congratulating them as well. Very exciting time for Canadian television and we’re happy to be up there with them,” said MacDonald.

A new rule comes into effect this year that states only Canadian citizens and permanent residents qualify for the acting awards. That makes “Heated Rivalry” star Connor Storrie, who was born in Colorado and raised in Texas, ineligible. 

Crave did not make anyone available for an interview, but in a statement Tierney said the team was honoured to be recognized by the Canadian Academy. 

Meanwhile, “40 Acres” leads the film categories with 10 nominations, including best motion picture and directing nods for R.T. Thorne, who is also up for best first feature. The film stars Danielle Deadwyler as an ex-military matriarch who protects her family in a famine-ravaged future.

“Canada in the past few years has come out with some shows and some movies that have sort of grabbed the headlines,” Thorne said from his home in Toronto. “That’s a testament to … the support that we get here from the public, and from the funding support that we get here that nurtures this talent. Our freedom of expression here is so important that we can tell all these diverse stories that you see.”

Hosted by comedian Andrew Phung, the Canadian Screen Awards will air simultaneously on CBC, CBC Gem, Crave, CTV, Global and STACKTV on May 31.

Among other top film contenders are French Canadian comedy “Follies,” horror-thriller “Honey Bunch” and time-hopping bromance “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,” which have eight nods each.

Matthew Miller, a producer for “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,” celebrated the team’s success, noting public funding combined with creative vision from independent producers can help Canadian films garner support. 

“As Matt says in the movie, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ I think people will come see strong work and they’ll see things that they’re excited about by filmmakers who have voice and vision,” Miller said.

In the digital media categories, Toronto-set queer comedy “Settle Down” leads with nine nominations, followed by London, Ont.-set youth hostel comedy “18 to 35” with five.

It’s been an “extraordinary year” for Canada’s creative community, according to the CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

“The momentum we’re seeing across film, television and digital media speaks to the power of our industry, and we’re proud to celebrate the innovation and diverse voices that carry Canada’s screen sector to new heights,” said Tammy Frick in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.