Matt Johnson's 'BlackBerry' starring Jay Baruchel breaks Canadian Screen Awards record
"BlackBerry" received 14 Canadian Screen Awards this week
Matt Johnson's film BlackBerry, starring Johnson, Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton, is the most awarded project in Canadian Screen Awards history. At Friday's 2024 Canadian Screen Awards Gala in Toronto, Baruchel accepted the award for Performance in a Leading Role (comedy), Johnson won the award for Achievement in Direction and the film was awarded Best Motion Picture.
In total, BlackBerry received a record 14 Canadian Screen Awards. It was an awards show sweep this week for the brilliant film.
From Berlinale all the way to the Canadian Screen Awards, BlackBerry has really been championed for leaning into the specifics of the Canadiana of the story about the rise and fall of Research in Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry, set in Waterloo, Ont.
When the BlackBerry team accepted the Best Picture award, Johnson had a message for young Canadian filmmakers.
"I think there is a going ideology in this country that you can’t make the things that you want, or that it’s impossible as a Canadian to stay in Canada and have success. I'm going to tell you that’s all in your head," he said. "If you make a commitment to this country and stay, and work with the same people and give it everything you can, and don't self-censor, you will do great."
Johnson added that Canadian filmmaking is having a "renaissance," and that the door is "wide open" to define the national voice of cinema.
Jay Baruchel crashed a car just as he found out 'BlackBerry' was being made
While BlackBerry is still one of the most entertaining films we've seen in a long time, Baruchel revealed he had an interesting start to actually make this film.
"The phone that I answered the call in which [Matt Johnson] told me we were making a movie was a BlackBerry, and then I promptly crashed my rental Mitsubishi into a f**king tree in the forest," Baruchel revealed to reporters on Friday. "I didn't want to spoil the moment though."
"Literally seven f**king seconds after I hit a patch of black ice, wrap it around a f**king maple, but I still pretend. I still go, 'Oh isn't that ever neat, so when are we starting?' And then I interrupt him ... and say, 'Actually, buddy. I just crashed the car. I think there's either smoke or steam come out of the hood.' ... It was an awful, very long day."
How to watch 'BlackBerry'
BlackBerry is currently available to stream as a three-part series on CBC Gem.
It was previously released in theatres as one feature film and can be watch in that format on Crave.
