ACTRA Manitoba, MCMA hand out annual awards

ACTRA Manitoba honours its own

It’s been an autumn to remember for local actor Summer H. Howell.

The 22-year-old from St. Andrews plays the title character in the Amazon Prime series Carrie, an adaptation of the telekinetic Stephen King thriller released in October. And over the weekend, Howell was one of three recipients of the 2026 ACTRA Manitoba award for outstanding performance in a feature film, earning industry recognition for her lead role in the malevolent thriller Spirit in the Blood.

Howell — who won the same honour in 2022 for Hunter Hunter — was in good company in the winner’s circle, sharing the award with Lauren Cochrane (Deaner ’89) and Reena Jolly, a frequent star of the local stage who co-starred in the Bob Odenkirk-led action flick Normal.

At this year’s awards gala, held Saturday at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, ACTRA introduced a new category, breakthrough performance. For his supporting role in James McLellan and Alexandre Trudeau’s Hair of the Bear — filmed in Lac du Bonnet in 2024 — Jonathan Lawrence was the inaugural recipient.

On the small screen, as on the silver screen, three performers were recognized for their outstanding performances.

Sarah Luby, who appears in the locally shot yuletide slasher Violent Night 2 (in theatres Dec. 4), took home honours for her supporting role in Don’t Even, a streaming comedy about growing up in Winnipeg in the 1990s from creator Amber Sekowan-Daniels. Aaron Merke, who won an ACTRA award in 2021 for his performance in the short film Lughead, is a winner for playing Francis Zelk in the supernatural horror series Safehaven.

The third recipient was first-time winner Paul Rabliauskas, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself in the CTV Comedy series Acting Good, a sitcom set in the fictional fly-in community of Grouse Lake First Nation. Premièring in 2022, the locally shot series’ fifth season premièred last month.

Fay Kelman, a U.K.-born actor based in Winnipeg, received the award for outstanding performance in a short (Descension). For his essential contribution to the action sequences in Normal, Joshua Sarna was named as winner of outstanding stunt performance.

The Manitoba Award — recognizing a production or producing company for “their commitment to Manitoba performers through exceptional engagement” of Manitoba talent — was given to Rhonda Baker, Ellen Rutter and Carrie Wilkins of Bonus Productions.

The Wayne Nicklas Award, given to an individual or organization for their contributions to the local film and television industry, was given to the Winnipeg Film Group.

ACTRA represents over 1,000 full, apprentice and background professionals in Manitoba’s film and television industry.

— Ben Waldman

Charron, Sean Taylor Band earn awards

The 11th annual Manitoba Country Music Awards were held Saturday at Club Regent Events Centre, with Clayton Bellamy acting as host.

The biggest winners of the evening were JR Charron, who won male artist of the year along with the Fay Walker song of the year and music video of the year awards for his song Halo; and the Sean Taylor Band, which won awards for group of the year, fans’ choice entertainer of the year and single of the year for Pretty Horses.

Catie St. Germain took home the awards for female artist of the year and interactive artist of the year, while Kate’s Outlaw won album of the year for Echo of the Engines.

Other winners included (all award names included the phrase “of the year”):

• Festival or event — Manitoba Stampede & Exhibition

• Venue — The Royal George Hotel

• Janice Starodub Impact Award — Rob Waloschuk

• Radio on-air team — Brody (Jackson) and Karly (Troschuk)

• Radio station — QX104 FM Winnipeg

• Roots group — Club Wagon Creek

• Cover/tribute group — Hearts on Fire

• NCI FM Indigenous Country Music Award — Mitchell Makoons

• Emerging artist — Irvin Miller

• Max Dupas (guitar), Greg Dunstan (bass), Stephen Broadhurst (drums) and Blaine Badiuk (specialty/fiddle) were named to the 2026 all-star band.

— Staff

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