The Donald Brittain Award is a Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to honour the year's best television documentary on a social or political topic. Formerly presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards. The award may be presented to either a standalone broadcast of a documentary film, or to an individual full-length episode of a news or documentary series; documentary films which originally premiered theatrically, but were not already submitted for consideration in a CSA film category before being broadcast on television, are also considered television films for the purposes of the award.

The award is named in honour of Donald Brittain, a pioneering Canadian documentary filmmaker.[1] On one occasion to date, the award has been won by a documentary film about Brittain and his importance to the history of Canadian documentary film.

Nominees and winners

1990s

Year Nominee Film Ref
1991
6th Gemini Awards
Island of Whales George Johnson, Jack Silberman, Gillian Darling, Jerry Appleton [2]
Between Two Worlds Peter Raymont
Distress Signals Kent Martin, John Walker, Tom Perlmutter
James Bay: The Wind That Keeps Blowing Nancy Archibald
Transplant: The Breath of Life Elias Petras
1992
7th Gemini Awards
Timothy Findley: Anatomy of a Writer Terence Macartney-Filgate, Don Haig [3]
Man Alive: "Chernobyl 2" Halya Kuchmij
On the Eighth Day: Perfecting Mother Nature Mary Armstrong
Threads of Hope Les Harris, Jane Harris
Women in the Shadows Signe Johansson, Christine Welsh
1993
8th Gemini Awards
Donald Brittain: Filmmaker Adam Symansky [4]
Adrienne Clarkson Presents: "Artemesia" Adrienne Clarkson [5]
Man Alive: "Held Hostage" Halya Kuchmij
The Fifth Estate: "Odd Man Out" Susan Teskey
The Nature of Things: "Trading Futures" Michael Poole
1994
9th Gemini Awards
Shadows and Light: Joaquin Rodrigo at 90 Larry Weinstein, Niv Fichman [6]
Dream Tower Ron Mann [7]
Hidden Children Julia Sereny
No Man's Land Shelley Saywell
Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo John Zaritsky, Virginia Storring
1995
10th Gemini Awards
Ms. Conceptions Linda Frum, Ric Esther Bienstock [8]
The Fifth Estate: "Sealed in Silence" David Kaufman [9]
The Last Trip Ina Fichman
The Negotiator Laszlo Barna
Orphans of Manchuria Annie Dodds
The Voyage of the St. Louis Arnie Gelbart
1996
11th Gemini Awards
Utshimassits: Place of the Boss John Walker, Mike Mahoney, Peter d'Entremont [10]
Fire and Water Shelley Saywell [11]
Scenes from a Corner Store Sun-Kyung Yi
Summer in the Cherry Orchard Ann Bromley
The True Story of Linda M. Norma Bailey, Joe MacDonald
1997
12th Gemini Awards
The Selling of Innocents Elliott Halpern, Simcha Jacobovici, William Cobban [12]
My Russian Campaign: From Montreal to Moscow John Curtin [13]
Mystics, Mechanics and Mindbombs Michael Chechik, Jerry Thompson
Nowhere Else to Live Alan Handel
Picturing a People: George Johnston Tlingit Photographer George Hargrave, Sally Bochner
1998
13th Gemini Awards
Gerrie & Louise Phyllis Brown, Sturla Gunnarsson, David York [14]
Confessions of a Rabid Dog Rudy Buttignol, Gerry Flahive, Julia Sereny [15]
Dad Chris Triffo
Some Kind of Arrangement Geeta Sondhi
Witness: "Between Here and Heaven" Andrew Gregg, Wayne Abbott
1999
14th Gemini Awards
Crimes of Honour Shelley Saywell [16]
Believing Nicole Lamothe [17]
The Dragon's Egg Rudy Buttignol, Allan King, Elizabeth Yake
East Side Showdown Peter Starr
Four Women of Egypt Éric Michel

2000s

Year Nominee Film Ref
2000
15th Gemini Awards
Deep Inside Clint Star Silva Basmajian [18]
Asylum: Falling Through the Cracks Christopher Sumpton [19]
Kikkik Ole Gjerstad
Legacy of Terror: The Bombing of Air India Rudy Buttignol, Shelley Saywell
The Holier It Gets Rudy Buttignol, Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier
2001
16th Gemini Awards
Breakaway: A Tale of Two Survivors Johanna Lunn Montgomery, Johanna Eliot, Mathew Welsh
Chickens Are People Too John Kastner, Hilary Armstrong, Marie Natanson, Charlotte Odele
In the Shadow of a Saint Mark Johnston, Stephen Milton
Kim Campbell: Through the Looking Glass Silva Basmajian
A Moment in Time: The United Colours of Bronstein Judy Jackson
2002
17th Gemini Awards
Offspring Barry Stevens, Laszlo Barna
Aftermath: The Remnants of War Peter Starr, Ed Barreveld, Michael Kot
Culture Jam: Hijacking Commercial Culture Jill Sharpe, Lynn Booth
In the Line of Fire Patricia Naylor
Waging Peace: A Year in the Life of Caledonia Junior High Sally Bochner, Peter d'Entremont, Kent Martin
2003
18th Gemini Awards
Return to Kandahar Paul Jay, Nelofer Pazira, David M. Ostriker
Chinese Daughters Dorlene Lin, Rudy Buttignol
Salvation Kent Martin
Seeing Is Believing Francis Miquet, Peter Wintonick, Katerina Cizek, Catherine Olsen
The Tree That Remembers Sally Bochner
2004
19th Gemini Awards
Dying at Grace Allan King, Rudy Buttignol [20]
Deadline Iraq: Uncensored Stuart Coxe, Greg Kelly, Douglas Arrowsmith, Eric Foss, Aaron Williams
Dying to Be Free: Zimbabwe's Struggle for Change David Belluz
Short Infinity Jean Lemire, Yves Bisaillon
The Man Who Could Be King Mark Johnston, Edith Champagne, Nancy Ing Duclos
2005
20th Gemini Awards
Runaway Grooms Ali Kazimi [21]
Bunny and Leona Deborah Parks, John Kastner [22]
El Contrato Karen King-Chigbo
No Place Called Home Peter Starr
One More River Ernest Webb, Catherine Bainbridge
The Take Avi Lewis, Naomi Klein, Laszlo Barna, Silva Basmajian
2006
21st Gemini Awards
House Calls Gerry Flahive, Silva Basmajian
Beyond Words: Photographers of War Eric Foss, Stuart Coxe, Greg Kelly [23]
Big Sugar Stephen Phizicky, Sylvia Wilson, Arnie Gelbart
Memory for Max, Claire, Ida and Company Kathy Avrich-Johnson, Allan King, Rudy Buttignol
No More Tears Sister Pierre Lapointe, Sally Bochner
2007
22nd Gemini Awards
Fatherland Manfred Becker, Laszlo Barna
Bombay Calling Sally Bochner, Adam Symansky [24]
Cottonland Annette Clarke, Kent Martin
EMPz 4 Life Kathy Avrich-Johnson, Rudy Buttignol, Allan King
Faith Without Fear Silva Basmajian, Gordon Henderson
Martyr Street Deborah Parks, Shelley Saywell
2008
23rd Gemini Awards
A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman Peter Raymont [25]
A Place Between: The Story of an Adoption Joe MacDonald, Graydon McRea, Michael Scott, Derek Mazur [26]
Darfur: On Our Watch Neil Docherty, Lisa Ellenwood
Forgiveness: Stories for Our Time Johanna Lunn, Kent Martin
Girl Inside Maya Gallus, Justine Pimlott
2009
24th Gemini Awards
Tiger Spirit Ed Barreveld, Anita Lee, Min Sook Lee [27]
Air India 182 David York, Sturla Gunnarsson
bploi wai dtaai: Leave Her to Die Antonia Thomson, Sean Buckley
Norm Kent Nason, Teresa MacInnes
Triage: Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma Peter Raymont, Silva Basmajian

2010s

Year Film Filmmakers Ref
2010
25th Gemini Awards
Broke Rosvita Dransfeld [28]
A Dream for Kabul Patricia Bergeron, Yves Bisaillon, Nathalie Barton [29]
Reel Injun Christina Fon, Catherine Bainbridge, Catherine Olsen, Ravida Din, Adam Symansky, Ernest Webb, Linda Ludwick
Up Against the Wall Eileen Thalenberg, Gail McIntyre
Water on the Table Liz Marshall
2011
26th Gemini Awards
Life with Murder John Kastner, Silva Basmajian [30]
Jackpot Michelle Latimer [31]
Mom's Home Maureen Judge
Tipping Point: The Age of the Oil Sands Niobe Thompson
When We Were Boys Mark Johnston, Amanda Handy, Sarah Goodman
2012
1st Canadian Screen Awards
About Her Sissy Federer-Less, Michelle Rothstein, Scott Garvie, Alison Gordon, Phyllis Ellis, Christina Jennings, Henry Less [32]
8th Fire Paul Morin, Sue Dando, Peter John Ingles, Jo-Ann Demers, Kelly Crichton
The Market Ed Barreveld
Prosecutor Lea Marin, Silva Basmajian, Julia Bennett, Kelly Jenkins, Peter Raymont
The Team Kelly Jenkins, Peter Raymont, Patrick Reed
2013
2nd Canadian Screen Awards
The People of the Kattawapiskak River Alanis Obomsawin, Ravida Din [33]
Blood Relative Nimisha Mukerji [34]
Herman's House Angad Singh Bhalla, Ed Barreveld, Lisa Valencia-Svensson, Loring McAlpin
2014
3rd Canadian Screen Awards
Tales from the Organ Trade Ric Esther Bienstock, Felix Golubev, Simcha Jacobovici [35]
The Exhibition Robert Straight, Damon Vignale, Miho Yamamoto [36]
The Ghosts in Our Machine Liz Marshall, Nina Beveridge
Out of Mind, Out of Sight Silva Basmajian, John Kastner, Deborah Parks
2015
4th Canadian Screen Awards
Sugar Coated Janice Dawe, Michele Hozer [37]
15 to Life: Kenneth's Story Nadine Pequeneza [38]
Anti-Social Limited Rosvita Dransfeld
Danny Annette Clarke, William D. MacGillivray, Justin Simms
Human Harvest Leon Lee, Jason Loftus
2016
5th Canadian Screen Awards
Guantanamo's Child Patrick Reed, Michelle Shephard, Peter Raymont [39]
After the Last River Vicki Lean, Jade Blair [40]
I, Pedophile Matthew Campea, Christopher Sumpton, Robin Benger
The War at Home Deborah Parks, Shelley Saywell
2017
6th Canadian Screen Awards
The Secret Path Stuart Coxe, Mike Downie, Jocelyn Hamilton, Gord Downie, Justin Stephenson, Jeff Lemire, Sarah Polley, Patrick Downie [41]
All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception and the Spirit of I. F. Stone Fred Peabody, Peter Raymont, Steve Ord, Andrew Munger, Jeff Cohen, Oliver Stone [42]
Colonization Road Michelle St. John, Brendan Brady, Jordan O'Connor, Shane Belcourt, Evan Adams
Migrant Dreams Min Sook Lee, Lisa Valencia-Svensson
The Skin We're In Gordon Henderson, Stuart Henderson
2018
7th Canadian Screen Awards
Quiet Killing (Ce silence qui tue) Michèle Rouleau [43]
Driving with Selvi Elisa Paloschi [44]
The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution Maya Gallus
The Way Out David York, Bryn Hughes, Michelle Shephard
2019
8th Canadian Screen Awards
Mr. Jane and Finch Alison Duke, Ngardy Conteh George [45]
In Search of a Perfect World Kristina McLaughlin, Kevin McMahon, Michael McMahon [46]
The Invisible Heart Nadine Pequeneza
Village of the Missing Paul Kemp

2020s

Year Film Filmmakers Ref
2020
9th Canadian Screen Awards
9/11 Kids Steve Gamester, Michael Kot, Betty Orr, Elizabeth St. Philip [47]
Above the Law Geoff Morrison, Marc Serpa Francoeur, Robinder Uppal [48]
Assholes: A Theory Ann Bernier, Annette Clarke, John Walker
Meat the Future Liz Marshall, Janice Dawe, Chris Hegedus
The Walrus and the Whistleblower Frederic Bohbot, Nathalie Bibeau
2021
10th Canadian Screen Awards
Ghosts of Afghanistan Arnie Gelbart, Julian Sher, Natalie Dubois [49]
Big News Catherine Legge, Saman Malik, Michelle Mètivier, Sarah Peterson, Michael Gruzuk [50]
Dispatches from a Field Hospital Matt Gallagher, Cornelia Principe
No Responders Left Behind Rob Lindsay, Jaime Sanchez, Kelly Zemnickis, Kristine Yanoff
We Know the Truth: Stories to Inspire Reconciliation Meagan Fiddler, Bertram Schneider
2022
11th Canadian Screen Awards
The Pretendians Drew Hayden Taylor, Paul Kemp [51]
Come Clean Derreck Roemer, Neil Graham [52]
Dear Jackie Henri Pardo, Katarina Soukup
Marketplace: "Crisis in Home Care" Tiffany Foxcroft
My Indian Name Abraham Cote, Jason Brennan

See also

References

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  4. ^ Christopher Harris, "Geminis annoint controversial mini-series: From ban to blessing, seven awards put The Boys of St. Vincent in a state of grace". The Globe and Mail, March 5, 1994.
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  9. ^ Christopher Harris, "Due South captures 15 Gemini nominations". The Globe and Mail, March 2, 1996.
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  32. ^ "“Income Property,” “D-Day” win Canadian Screen Awards". RealScreen, February 27, 2013.
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  35. ^ Katie Bailey, "Canadian Screen Awards ’15: Far-flung docs win night one". Playback, February 24, 2015.
  36. ^ "Canadian Screen Awards ’15: TV categories". Playback, January 13, 2015.
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  41. ^ "Canadian Screen Awards 2018: Maudie, Anne, Kim's Convenience win top prizes". CBC News, March 11, 2018.
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  43. ^ "Gord Downie's Secret Path, Amazing Race and CBC News among Canadian Screen Awards winners". CBC News, March 26, 2019.
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