TORONTO — The digital comedy series “How to Buy a Baby” won a top prize at Thursday’s Canadian Screen Awards gala honouring digital storytelling.
The LoCo Motion Pictures title, created and written by Wendy Litner, won in the category of best fiction web program or series at the Toronto event.
Marc Bendavid and Meghan Heffern star in the series as an infertile couple trying to have a child.
“How to Buy a Baby” was nominated for an International Emmy Award and won two prizes at the International Academy of Web Television Awards in L.A. last year.
The series is available on the CBC Gem streaming service.
Other winners at the awards gala, which is one of several taking place this week in the lead-up to Sunday’s big show, included “The Artists: The Pioneers Behind the Pixels.”
The look at pioneering video game designers, from the Artists (CANADA) Inc., took the trophy for best non-fiction web program or series.
CreamVR’s pop-science, cross-platform VR series “A Curious Mind with Dominic Monaghan,” featuring the star of “The Lord of the Rings” and “Lost,” won best non-fiction immersive experience.
Best fiction immersive experience went to the National Film Board of Canada’s “Biidaaban: First Light,” an interactive VR project that imagines a futuristic Toronto as it highlights Indigenous languages.
“CBC News: Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo,” about a family’s search for a young Cree girl, won best cross-platform project.
Jam3’s “Nuclear Dissent,” about the history of nuclear weapons testing, was named best original interactive production.
Comedy star Mark Little got a nod for best writing in a web program or series for “Gary and His Demons.”
And veteran actress Jayne Eastwood won for her supporting performance in the web series ”The Writers’ Block.”
The Canadian Screen Awards week concludes with Sunday’s broadcast gala on CBC and CBC Gem.