“Degrassi” Co-Creator to Receive Anthony Minghella Memorial Award at the 29th Annual Summer Institute of Film and Television

“Degrassi” co-creator and executive producer, Linda Schuyler, will receive the second annual Anthony Minghella Memorial Award at this year’s Summer Institute of Film and Television in Ottawa on May 27 at 8 pm at Library and Archives Canada.

OTTAWA The co-creator and executive producer of the much-loved Degrassi TV franchise, Linda Schuyler, will be honoured with the Anthony Minghella Memorial Award at this years Summer Institute of Film and Television (SIFT). The award presentation will be part of the annual event, which is presented by the Canadian Screen Training Centre (CSTC), and takes place in Ottawa at the end of May. Schuyler will receive the award on Wednesday, May 27th at 8 pm at Library and Archives Canada.

The CSTC presents the Anthony Minghella Memorial Award to a film or television professional who has made outstanding contributions to Canadas screen industry.

As the co-creator and executive producer of the original Degrassi series, Schuylers programming spoke to a generation of teenagers by dealing with real issues not commonly addressed on television. This tradition has continued on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and together, these series have won two international Emmys and nine Gemini Awards, among others. Schuyler has also contributed to the landscape of Canadian film through her work with the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, where she sought solutions to funding issues in Canadas screen industry. Currently, Schuyler is the CEO of Epitome Pictures Inc.

Under Linda Schuylers guidance, Degrassi became one of Canadas most iconic television series, says CSTC Executive Director Max Berdowski. She is one of this countrys premier producers.

This award was presented for the first time at SIFT 2008, in honour of Anthony Minghella, who had been a long-time supporter of the CSTC. Minghella was a well-known film director whose credits included The English Patient, for which he won an Academy Award, and Cold Mountain. Academy Award-nominee Sarah Polley was the first recipient of the Anthony Minghella Memorial Award.

Now in its 29th year, the Summer Institute of Film and Television has been the flagship program of the not-for-profit CSTC, which trains filmmakers from around the country with programs led by top industry professionals. SIFT presents workshops in screenwriting, directing, producing, acting, documentary, new media, cinematography and editing.

Other highlights for this years event include workshops with the executive producer of Corner Gas, David Storey, and Jan Peter Meyboom, the Vice President of Production for Shaftesbury Films (The Listener, ReGenesis), as well as Gemini-winning actor Megan Follows (CSI: Miami, Anne of Green Gables), noted videojournalist Sasa Petricic (CBCs The National), and one of Canadas busiest directors, T.W. Peacocke (Rent-a-Goalie, Heartland).