The Rob Stewart Award, formerly known as the Gemini/Canadian Screen Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program, is a Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to honour the year's best television documentary on a scientific or nature topic. Formerly presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards. The award is open to both standalone documentary films and relevant episodes of television documentary series; in particular, episodes of the CBC Television documentary series The Nature of Things have frequently been nominees for or winners of the award.

The award was renamed to its current name in 2017 in memory of Rob Stewart, an influential Canadian director of science and nature documentary films who died in January 2017.[1]

Nominees and winners

edit

1990s

edit
Year Film Filmmakers
1995
10th Gemini Awards
Epilepsy: The Centre of Her Storms David Way, Wally Longul
Cyberwars: Binary Groove Alan White, Eric Calvert
Forbidden Places: "Silent Witness" Aiken Scherberger
Forbidden Places: "Zone of Separation" Aiken Scherberger
Whisper in the Air Angela Gwynn John, Michael Betcherman, Tom Perlmutter
1996
11th Gemini Awards
Ebola: Inside an Outbreak Elliott Halpern, Simcha Jacobovici, Ric Esther Bienstock
Heart of the People Peter von Puttkamer, Sheera von Puttkamer
In My Own Time: Diary of a Cancer Patient Jerry Krepakevich, Graydon McCrea, Joseph Viszmeg
The Living Tides of Fundy Stuart Beecroft
The Nature of Things: "Food or Famine" John Bassett
1997
12th Gemini Awards
Separate Lives Robert Lang
Forbidden Places: "Wildkill" Aiken Scherberger
Journeys: "Volcano" Lauren Millar, Craig Moffat
Life and Times: "Roberta Bondar, Lone Star" Ann Kennard
Secrets of the Choco Ian McLaren
The Empty Net Richard Elson
1998
13th Gemini Awards
Before Their Time Rudy Buttignol, David Way, Steven Manuel
Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve Mitchell Azaria
Superbugs Gordon Henderson
The Monarch: A Butterfly Beyond Borders David Springbett, Heather MacAndrew
Witness: "Quake Hunters" Terence McKeown
1999
14th Gemini Awards
My Healing Journey: Seven Years with Cancer Jerry Krepakevich
Baboon Tales Rudolf Kovanic, Gillian Darling-Kovanic
The Nature of Things: "Up Close and Personal" Caroline Underwood
The Pill Joe MacDonald
Walking with Grizzlies Ian Herring

2000s

edit
Year Film Filmmakers
2000
15th Gemini Awards
After Darwin Arnie Gelbart
Edge of Extinction: Saving the Leatherback Sea Turtle Ira Levy, Peter Williamson, Andrea Boyd, Stuart Goodman
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park: Heart of the Wilderness Mitchell Azaria, Ihor Macijiwsky
The Nature of Things: "Parkinson's: Lynda's Story" David Tucker
The Secret World of Gardens Susan Fleming
2001
16th Gemini Awards
The Nature of Things: Nuclear Dynamite" Selwyn Jacob, Gary Marcuse, Betsy Carson
Criminal Evidence Elliott Halpern, Simcha Jacobovici, Roger Pyke, Jack Rabinovitch, Pauline Duffy
Echoes of the North Ralph C. Ellis, Stephen Ellis
Insectia: Outlaws Jacquelin Bouchard, Mary Armstrong, André Barro, Fabienne Servan-Schreiber
Movers, Not Shakers David Langer, Laszlo Barna, Sam Grana, Jim Hogan
The Nature of Things: "The Salmon Forest" Caroline Underwood
2002
17th Gemini Awards
The Secret World of Gardens: "Frogs" Susan Fleming
Bushmeat: The Slaughter of the Apes Dawna Treibicz, John Panikkar
The Cold Embrace Andrew Gregg, Gordon Henderson
The Parkinson's Enigma Bette Thompson, Terence McKeown
The Nature of Things: "Touch: The Forgotten Sense" Roger Frappier, Jean Lemire
2003
18th Gemini Awards
The Nature of Things: "The Investigation of Swiss Air Flight 111" Howard Green, Michael Allder, Kurt Schaad
Life's a Twitch Tina Hahn, Sally Blake, Rudy Buttignol
Oh Baby! To Walk Stephen Ellis, Kip Spidell
The Nature of Things: "Up Close and Toxic" Caroline Underwood, Michael Allder
The Surgeons: "Dr. Rao" Tim O'Brien, Rachel Low, Daniela Battistella
2004
19th Gemini Awards
Suzuki Speaks Tony Papa, Cathy Chilco
The Eye of the Son Robbie Hart, Jason Rodi, Rudy Buttignol
The Nature of Things: "Corporate Agriculture: The Hollow Men" Ray Burley, Michael Allder
The Secret World of Gardens: "Garden Mimics" Susan Fleming
Sex, Drugs and Middle Age Ann Marie Redmond
2005
20th Gemini Awards
The Origins of AIDS Christine Le Goff, Michel Crepon, Arnie Gelbart, Christine Pireaux
A Day Inside: Calgary Stampede Lance Mueller, Jean Merriman
Diet of Souls Peter d'Entremont
The Nature of Things: "Clot Busters" David Tucker, Michael Allder
The Nature of Things: "Sex Lies and Secrecy: Dissecting Hysterectomy" Michael Allder, Carol Moore-Ede
2006
21st Gemini Awards
The Nature of Things: "Being Caribou" Rina Fraticelli, Tracey Friesen
The Fifth Estate: "Black Dawn" Douglas Arrowsmith, Jane Mingay, David Studer, Jim Williamson
How William Shatner Changed the World Malcolm Clark, Alan Handel
Lifelike Nathalie Barton
The Nature of Things: "Nature Bites Back: The Case of the Sea Otter" Christopher Sumpton
2007
22nd Gemini Awards
Gamer Revolution Rachel Low, Marc De Guerre
Spam: The Documentary Andrew Johnson, Jeannette Loakman, Scott Dobson, Sally Blake
There's Something Out There: A Bigfoot Encounter Kyle Bornais
Tsepong: A Clinic Called Hope Peter Raymont
The Wayfinders Andrew Gregg, Gordon Henderson, Wade Davis
2008
23rd Gemini Awards
Battle of the Bag Ryszard Hunka, Monika Delmos
Four Wings and a Prayer Michael McMahon, Kristina McLaughlin, Gerry Flahive, Emmanuel Laurent, David Johnston
Hubble's Canvas Craig Colby, Ivan Semeniuk
Long Haul Big Hearts Doug Raby, Joanne P. Jackson, Joan Jenkinson
The Refugees of the Blue Planet Monique Simard, Marcel Simard, Yves Bisaillon, Luc Martin-Gousset
2009
24th Gemini Awards
The Disappearing Male Rachel Low, Alan Mendelsohn
The Body Machine Mary Barroll, Malcolm Brinkworth
Mighty Ships: "Resolute" Kathryn Oughtred, Richard O'Regan, Phil Desjardins
The Musical Brain Vanessa Dylyn
Secrets of the Dinosaur Mummy Michael Jorgensen, Kevin Dunn

2010s

edit
Year Film Filmmakers
2010
25th Gemini Awards
The Great Sperm Race David Brady, Christopher Rowley
The Nature of Things: "A Murder of Crows" Susan Fleming
The Nature of Things: "One Ocean: Mysteries of the Deep" Merit Jensen Carr, Caroline Underwood, Michael Allder
The Plastic Fantastic Brain: Total Recall and the Spotless Mind Paul Kemp, Brian Cotter
The Quantum Tamers: Revealing our Weird and Wired Future Derek Diorio, John Matlock, Frank Taylor
2011
26th Gemini Awards
The Nature of Things: "Code Breakers" Niobe Thompson, Tom Radford
Acquainted with the Night Judy Holm, Michael McNamara
The Nature of Things: "For the Love of Elephants" Rod Ruel, Lynn Booth
Last Day of the Dinosaurs Alan Handel, Tim Goodchild, Richard Dale
X-Cars Kelly McClughan, Sue Ridout
2012
1st Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "Polar Bears: A Summer Odyssey" Sarah Robertson, Tim O'Brien
Descending Jeff Wilson, Jennifer Howe
The Nature of Things: "The Perfect Runner" Niobe Thompson, Tom Radford
The Nature of Things: "Smarty Plants: Uncovering the Secret World of Plant Behavior" Merit Jensen Carr
When Dreams Take Flight Sheona McDonald, Bob Culbert, Adamm Liley
2013
2nd Canadian Screen Awards
Aliens: The Definitive Guide Alan Handel, Tom Brisley
The Nature of Things: "The Beaver Whisperers" Jari Osborne
The Nature of Things: "Lights Out!" Judy Holm, Michael McNamara
Doc Zone: "Wind Rush" Andrew Gregg, Gordon Henderson
2014
3rd Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "Invasion of the Brain Snatchers" Sue Dando, Mike Downie, F. M. Morrison, David Wells
Mission Asteroid J. R. McConvey, Jeff Thrasher
Secrets in the Bones: The Hunt for the Black Death Killer Dugald Maudsley
Wild Canada Brian Leith, Jeff Turner
Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan David Brady, Kate Harrison, Dominic Monaghan, Philip Clarke
2015
4th Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "The Great Human Odyssey" Niobe Thompson
Bad Coyote Paul McNeill, Jason Andrew Young
The Nature of Things: "The Cholesterol Question" Aaron Hancox, Judy Holm, Michael McNamara
The Nature of Things: "Gorilla Doctors" Bryn Hughes, David York
The Water Brothers Jonathan Barker, Jane Jankovic, Wendy MacKeigan
2016
5th Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "Moose: A Year in the Life of a Twig Eater" Susan Fleming
Kenya Wildlife Diaries Craig Colby, Michael Dalton-Smith
The Nature of Things: "My Brain Made Me Do It" Erna Buffie, Merit Jensen Carr
The Nature of Things: "Trapped in a Human Zoo" Roch Brunette, Guilhem Rondot
Volcanic Odysseys Craig Colby, Michael Dalton-Smith
2017
6th Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "The Wild Canadian Year" Jeff Turner, Sue Turner, Caroline Underwood
Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees Merit Jensen Carr, Jeff McKay
The Nature of Things: "The Great Wild Indoors" David York, Bryn Hughes, Roberto Verdecchia
The Nature of Things: "Running on Empty: Surviving California's Epic Drought" Mike Downie, David Wells
The Water Brothers Jonathan Barker, Wendy MacKeigan, Jane Jankovic
2018[2]
7th Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "Equus: Story of the Horse" Niobe Thompson, Caroline Underwood
The Nature of Things: "Into the Fire" Gordon Henderson, Leora Eisen
The Nature of Things: "The Kingdom: How Fungi Made our World" Anne Pick, Bill Spahic
The Nature of Things: "Mommy Wildest" Caitlin Starowicz, Mark Starowicz
Over the Horizon Jennifer Howe, Craig McGillivray, Ira Levy
2019
8th Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "A Day in the Life of Earth" Elliott Halpern, Elizabeth Trojian
Equator: A New World View Kevin McMahon, Michael McMahon, Kristina McLaughlin
The Nature of Things: "The Genetic Revolution" Elliott Halpern, Elizabeth Trojian
The Nature of Things: "Remarkable Rabbits" Susan Fleming
The Nature of Things: "Turtle Beach" Merit Jensen Carr

2020s

edit
Year Film Filmmakers Ref
2020
9th Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "Takaya: Lone Wolf" André Barro, Martin Williams, Cheryl Alexander, Bruce Whitty, Kim Bondi, Gaby Bastyra [3]
The Nature of Things: "Be Afraid: The Science of Fear" Gordon Henderson, Stuart Henderson, Rita Kotzia [4]
The Nature of Things: "Pass the Salt" Judy Holm, Michael McNamara, Aaron Hancox
The Nature of Things: "She Walks with Apes" Mark Starowicz, Caitlin Starowicz
Striking Balance Yvonne Drebert
2021
10th Canadian Screen Awards
Borealis Kevin McMahon, Michael McMahon, Kristina McLaughlin, Justine Pimlott, Felicity Justrabo [5]
The Nature of Things: "Inside The Great Vaccine Race" Dugald Maudsley, Gillian Main [6]
The Nature of Things: "Kids vs. Screens" Leora Eisen, Jackie Carlos, Diana Warmé
The Nature of Things: "Kingdom of the Polar Bears" Merit Jensen Carr, Sally Blake, Patrice Lorton
The Nature of Things: "The Last Walrus" Nathalie Bibeau, Frederic Bohbot
2022
11th Canadian Screen Awards
The Nature of Things: "Ice and Fire: Tracking Canada's Climate Crisis" Elliott Halpern, Elizabeth Trojian [7]
The Mightiest Chris Perez, Marcelle Edwards, Manny Groneveldt [8]
The Nature of Things: "Carbon: The Unauthorized Biography" Niobe Thompson
The Nature of Things: "Curb Your Carbon" Dugald Maudsley, Gillian Main
The Nature of Things: "Nature's Big Year" Christine Nielsen, Diana Warmé
2023
12th Canadian Screen Awards
The Water Brothers Wendy MacKeigan, Tyler Mifflin, Alex Mifflin [9]
Ageless Gardens Ian Toews, Mark Bradley, Moses Znaimer, Beverley Shenken [10]
The Nature of Things: "Apocalypse, Plan B" Caitlin Starowicz, Mark Starowicz
The Nature of Things: "True Survivors" Carolyn Whittaker

References

edit