Island film wins big at Canadian Comedy Awards

After spending years making Pogey Beach, writer and director Jeremy Larter's work is getting national recognition.

Pogey Beach wins best feature award

Tony Davis · CBC News · Posted: Jun 05, 2019 4:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 5, 2019

The fictional Gary Gallant, king of Pogey Beach, sitting on his throne with three of his 'pogey bum' friends keeping guard. (Submitted by Jeremy Larter)

After spending years making Pogey Beach, writer and director Jeremy Larter's work is getting national recognition.

The film — made in P.E.I. — had its first public screening in Halifax back in September and now it's been awarded best feature at the Canadian Comedy Awards in Toronto.

Best feature at the Canadian Comedy Awards is going to be associated with this movie forever now.— Jeremy Larter

"It was a great feeling. It was a packed room," Larter said.

The Canadian Comedy Awards is an annual national awards ceremony celebrating Canadian comedians for achievements in live, TV, film, radio and web comedy.

'Shoutout to P.E.I.'

The best feature category was the second-last category to be announced.

"We were thrilled and we got to do a speech and did a shoutout to P.E.I.," Larter said.

Jeremy Larter says he wasn't the only Island-born director at the Canadian Comedy Awards. 'We had good P.E.I. representation in the room.' (Jessicah Dutton)

The award will do a lot for the actors and individuals who worked on the film, he said.

"Best feature at the Canadian Comedy Awards is going to be associated with this movie forever now. It lets people in the industry know who we are."

We still feel like there are a lot more people who haven't had access to the movie yet.— Jeremy Larter

It was a long road to get the film made, Larter said.

"We shot it in 2016, we didn't actually finish the movie until late 2018."

Pogey Beach movie premiere 'dream come true' for P.E.I. filmmaker

Pogey Beach started off as a Kickstarter funded by fans who wanted to see the movie made and fans voted for the movie to help it win this award as well, Larter said.

"We're just lucky," he said.

Get more eyes on it

He also had the opportunity to meet P.E.I. filmmaker Michael Kennedy. Larter said Kennedy was always a role model for him because he produced Kids in the Hall shorts.

"We had good P.E.I. representation in the room."

Larter said there were a lot of talented Canadian artists in the room and it was a pleasure to be among them.

He also said the movie hasn't run its course yet.

"We keep working with our distributor to get the movie on more platforms and get more eyeballs on it. We still feel like there are a lot more people who haven't had access to the movie yet."