The top 10 Canadian music videos selected as finalists for the Grand Prize at the 2023 Prism Prize, an annual awards event that recognizes outstanding artistry in music video production, were announced today. Voted by a jury composed of more than 135 creatives leading and innovating the Canadian music, film and media arts scenes, the artist and director behind the Grand Prize-winning video will be awarded $20,000, the largest cash prize in the world for music videos. The winning music video will be crowned at a live screening and awards presentation on Thursday, July 6, 2023 in Toronto.
The 2023 Prism Prize Top 10 (in alphabetical order):
Tanya Tagaq – Colonizer (Directors: Leah Fay Goldstein & Peter Dreimanis)
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Damn Right (Director: Sterling Larose)
Amanda Sum – Different Than Before (Director: Mayumi Yoshida)
Dan Mangan – Fire Escape (Director: Lester Lyons-Hookham)
MorMor – Here It Goes Again (Director: Adrian Villagomez)
Jessie Reyez – Mutual Friend (Director: Peter Huang)
Jean-Michel Blais – Passepied (Director: Adrian Villagomez)
BAMBII – Ride With Me (Directors: Kit Weyman & BAMBII)
Tanya Tagaq – Teeth Agape (Director: David Seitz)
PUP – Totally Fine (Director: Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux)
All of the Top 10 finalists are also eligible for the fan-voted Audience Award, supported by Stingray, which comes with a $5,000 prize for the winner. Members of the public can now view all of the Top 10 videos and cast their vote for their favourite through Thursday, June 15, 2023 at PrismPrize.com. The winner will be announced on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at the awards presentation.
“Since the inception of the Prism Prize, Canadian music videos have continuously pushed the boundaries of artistic expression and have become an important vehicle to showcase the immense talent and diversity in our country’s music scene,” said Louis Calabro, Vice-President, Programming & Awards, at the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the Founder of Prism Prize. “Through their creativity and innovation, the Top 10 videos are not only entertaining but serve as inspiration for other emerging artists to challenge themselves and explore the endless possibilities of music video production.”
More than 300 eligible Canadian music videos are reviewed each year by the Prism Prize jury, where evaluation on originality, style, creativity, innovation and effective execution helps determine the votes for the Top 10. Only one can be named the Grand Prize winner and take home the $20,000, however, the Top 10 nominated filmmakers (directors and producers) will all receive complimentary memberships to the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, courtesy of Telefilm Canada.
Along with the Grand Prize and Audience awards, the Prism Prize annually recognizes a class of Special Award recipients who are honoured for their achievements and contributions to the music industry, both in Canada and abroad. Recipients for the following awards will be announced in the lead-up to the 2023 Prism Prize awards presentation taking place on July 6:
- The Hi-Fidelity Award (supported by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters) established to recognize recording artists who utilize music video in innovative ways;
- The Lipsett Award, established to celebrate a unique approach to music video art;
- The Special Achievement Award (supported by The Slaight Family Foundation) established to recognize an exceptional contribution to music video art on the world stage;
- The Willie Dunn Award (supported by Telefilm Canada) presented to a Canadian trailblazer who has demonstrated excellence within the music, music video and/or film production communities, in the lead-up to the presentation.
View the Top 10 Canadian music videos of the year eligible for the 2023 Prism Prize at PrismPrize.com.
The Prism Prize is an annual event that recognizes outstanding artistry in music video production through a slate of awards including the Grand Prize, which carries the largest cash prize in the world for music videos. Established in 2012, this annual honour gathers a jury of more than 130 Canadian arts professionals who vote to crown one video as best of the year. Previous winners of the Grand Prize have included Mustafa for his self-directed music video Ali (2022), Theo Kapodistrias for Haviah Mighty’s Thirteen (2021), Peter Huang for Jessie Reyez’s Far Away (2020), and Emily Kai Bock for Arcade Fire’s Afterlife (2014).
The Prism Prize is a division of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, an organization that shares the common goal of promoting and supporting homegrown Canadian creative projects while inspiring and developing the next generation of talent.
Prism Prize proudly acknowledges its Lead Partners, Telefilm Canada, FACTOR and the Government of Canada, and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, and The Slaight Family Foundation, as well as its Supporting Partners, William F. White International Inc. and Stingray.
