Local actors nominated
Alex Rice is nominated alongside Kaniehtiio Horn at this year’s ACTRA awards. Courtesy Alex Rice
Kahnawake talent was centre stage in the world of film and television this week, with two local names making the shortlist of a major media organization’s annual awards.
Alex Rice and Kaniehtiio Horn are both nominated for Outstanding Performance in Film at this year’s ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Artists) Montreal awards, which will be held in the city next month.
“It’s really testament to the level of talent and skill we have in Kahnawake, and our perseverance,” said Rice, who attended a breakfast for nominees in Montreal this week.
She and Horn are two of six nominated in the category.
“For two Mohawk women to be two out of those nominees is outstanding. It shows how much hard work, dedication, and devotion is coming out of our community.”
Rice is nominated for her role in Tasha Hubbard’s Meadowlarks, where she plays Marianne, a Cree woman separated from her family during the Sixties Scoop.
“When I first looked at the script, I fell in love with this role. I saw it and I knew I could really show talent and skill that I’d never been able to show before,” Rice said. “I’m very happy because being nominated in this category for this role just shows that I did my job. I accomplished what I wanted to, and I put my heart and soul into it.”
Horn is nominated for her leading role in her own directorial debut, Seeds, which follows the story of Ziggy, a social media content creator who leaves her home community only to be summoned back to protect her family’s special corn, beans, and squash seeds.
The winners of the ACTRA awards will be announced at a ceremony on June 12.
“This is a big deal for the credibility of our talent, and for the stories we want to tell,” Rice said. “For me, being recognized by ACTRA for this role means that Indigenous stories and Indigenous characters have universal appeal, and it’s crossed even outside of our own community.”
