Celebrating the best the North has to offer in music and film

The 2015 Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards wrapped up Saturday night with recognition hardware being handed out at the Sudbury Theatre Centre. An after party at Fuse Nightclub featured local talent The Almighty Rhombus and Carden Cove, and to cap the conference off, there was a special performance by multi Juno nominated Canadian rock band, The Trews.

This premier northern Ontario celebration was hosted by Timmins-born comedian Derek Edwards, a Canadian Comedy Award winner and featured performer at Montreal’s Just For Laugh Festival.

Those who went home with awards included young emerging artists and seasoned professionals. Rose-Erin Stokes, an up-and-coming musician from North Bay, won Best Vocal Performance on a Recording for her song Break.

Best Album by a Solo Artist was handed out to Kalle Mattson from Sault Ste. Marie for his album Someday the Moon Will Be Gold. Mattson also won Best Songwriter for A Love Song for the City, a song that was already nominated for a 2014 Polaris Music Prize.

“It’s nice to be recognized for your work,” says Mattson. Since the album was released last year he has been out on tour across Canada, United States and Europe.

Also from Sault Ste. Marie, Frank Deresti and the Lake Effect won Best Album by a Duo or Group by the same name. Local Sudbury musician Matt Foy took home the award for Best Music Video by a Northern Ontario Artist for Outlaw, which he shared with local director John Aiden Milne.

In the film awards categories, two talented Indigenous female filmmakers took home awards. Michelle Derosier from Thunder Bay won Best Screenplay on her new film Angelique’s Isle. Michelle Latimer won Best Director and Best Short/Mid-Length film for her film The Underground. Latimer is an accomplished actor and filmmaker who was named among Playback’s 10 To Watch in 2013. Underground has also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival.

Richard Dreyfuss won Best Actor in a Northern Ontario Production for his role in Cas & Dylan, while the film also won Best Feature Film. Mark Montefiore, producer, who is shooting a new film in Sudbury this week, accepted the awards.

Tammy Frick, associate executive director, says she is pleased with how the conference and awards are growing.

“This is the 10th edition of the conference and awards ceremony. We have made some changes in the last two years but the response is phenomenal,” she said.

The two-day music and film conference also featured workshops for musicians and filmmakers across the north and provides a unique opportunity for professional development, networking and connecting among musicians and filmmakers.