The DGC has announced the Special Awards recipients of the first West Coast DGC Awards to be held November 5th in Vancouver. The Don Haldane Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Allan Harmon, the DGC Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Director Sturla Gunnarsson, the DGC Impact Award will be presented to Brock Skretting, and Cheryl Nex of EP Canada will be named a DGC Honorary Life Member.   

We are thrilled to have DGC Member and Emmy winner Eric McCormack (Will & Grace, Travelers) headlining the Gala. 

“We are immensely proud to be acknowledging these professionals and their exceptional contributions and service to our industry and Guild. It is an enormous pleasure to celebrate Canadian arts and artists and the great people who have helped create and sustain this beautiful craft.”

    -       Warren P. Sonoda, DGC President 

Sturla Gunnarson was born in Iceland and raised in Vancouver. He is one of Canada’s most accomplished filmmakers in feature film, documentary and television drama. His films have been recognized with a multitude of awards, including Emmy, Genie and Gemini Awards, a Prix Italia, many Best of Festival Awards and an Oscar nomination for the hybrid documentary After the Axe (1981). Gunnarson’s work in television includes global hits stretching from The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents to Degrassi and his CSA-nominated work on Schitt’s Creek. He directed Sarah Polley, Stellan Skarsgaard and Gerard Butler in Beowulf and Grendel (2006) and William Hurt and Molly Parker in Rare Birds (2001). His documentary Air India 182 won both the DGC and Gemini awards for documentary feature. Sturla’s peers have nominated him for 11 DGC Awards and he has won seven in his over 40-year career thus farAllan Harmon has had a 44-year career in filmmaking. He came up through the AD ranks and began directing in 1988. He has worked in New York, Miami, LA, Toronto, and Vancouver, as well as other locations across the U.S. and Canada. Allan served as Director rep on the DGC BC Executive Board from 2010 to 2014 and joined the National Executive Board upon being elected DGC BC Chairman in 2014, the position he serves in to this day.

Cheryl Nex became President of EP Canada LP in 2006, having advanced steadily through a number of positions within the company since 1989. Her numerous advisory roles and industry policy efforts have also included developing regulations for the employment of children in the film & television industry in British Columbia, leading the effort to transform the government’s capture of employment statistics to accurately portray the industry and the advocacy for both the federal and provincial tax credits.

Brock Skretting is an Assistant Director and Alberta DGC Member. He will be presented the DGC Impact Award for his work in leadership and advocacy. Brock helped lead “Keep Alberta Rolling,” a grass roots non-profit organization created to showcase the benefits and potential of the Alberta screen industry. The campaign brings together cast, crew, unions, vendors, educational institutions, festivals, studios, local business and community leaders, and it was instrumental in establishing the Alberta Film and Television Tax Credit.

We are happy to honour and celebrate the success and achievements of these recipients, who have demonstrated commitment and excellence and who have made an invaluable impact as professionals in the Film & Television industry.