Good Morning America host Robin Roberts talked up the advantages of embracing variety in storytelling when receiving the Inclusion Award on the 2024 version of the Banff World Media Pageant on Monday evening.
“Immense gratitude to everybody who’s concerned on this dynamic, vibrant inclusive pageant, the place everybody is just not solely welcomed, however embraced,” Roberts advised the Rockie Awards gala. “Variety is being on the group, inclusion is getting within the sport. I’m so grateful to A&E to permit me to be within the sport, with you,” Roberts, who went from star athlete to changing into a TV anchor, added about A&E, the sponsor of the gala award.
Kevin Beggs, chairman and chief artistic officer on the Lionsgate Tv Group, was available to obtain the Award of Excellence on the Rockie Awards gala after serving for seven years as chairman of the board on the Banff TV pageant.
“Via all of it, Kevin has been an incredible associate. I’ve taught him some Yiddish, and he’s taught me what it means to be a mensch,” Sandra Stern, vice chairman of the Lionsgate Tv Group, mentioned when introducing Beggs to the gala viewers.
Beggs, when accepting the award, returned his admiration for Stern from the stage of the Banff Springs Van Horne ballroom. “Sandra, as you talked about, you and I’ve been sharing tales and making one another snigger as we constructed a tv studio collectively for many years. We’ve got had wins and losses. However by way of all of it, you’ve at all times taught me the significance of relationships, character and integrity,” Beggs mentioned.
Girls5eva actor Renée Elise Goldsberry, who was additionally within the authentic Hamilton solid, was a no-show to select up the Inventive Voice Award in Banff as she found on Sunday that she had did not renew her passport and couldn’t fly to Canada.
“The one factor that would have saved me from being there to simply accept in particular person was an expired passport. Yesterday was a tough day. However I’m so grateful for the chance to simply accept just about,” Goldsberry advised the Banff viewers by way of a taped acceptance speech.
Additionally Monday evening, Paul Solar-Hyung Lee, when receiving the Canadian Award of Distinction, paid tribute to Kim’s Comfort, a homegrown comedy set round a Korean-Canadian household working a nook store in Toronto, and which additionally starred Simu Liu. “I bought the chance to be the lead actor in an award-winning present that was a love letter to my mother and father and the human expertise in Kim’s Comfort,” Solar-Hyung Lee mentioned when accepting his profession tribute.
The Rockie Awards gala took a comic book flip when Tom Inexperienced got here on stage to obtain the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award. “From what I learn about Peter Ustinov, I see this all makes good sense. Sir Peter gained the Academy Award for his function in Spartacus. I used to be in Street Journey,” Greene mentioned, recalling his function within the 2000 comedy journey pic.
Emmy-winning director and author Allana Harkin (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) hosted the flagship Banff Rockie Awards, which additionally noticed Richard Speer, president and founding father of Montreal-based indie producer Attraction, settle for the Progressive Award.
“I’d prefer to take the chance to acknowledge everybody who’s working so arduous proper now to make our trade higher. Occasions usually are not straightforward for Canadian content material,” Speer, whose manufacturing banner has a primary look take care of Netflix Canada, advised the Banff gala.