Industry

The Banff World Media Festival has revealed its 2026 Rockie Awards Gala honourees alongside the lineup for its annual Showrunner Super Panel, bringing together some of the industry’s leading creative voices. The Rockie Awards ceremony, hosted by Allana Harkin, will take place on June 16 during the festival in Canada.

This year’s honourees include Jason Priestley, who will receive the Canadian Award of Distinction, Mae Martin, recipient of the Creative Voice Award, Ken Jeong, who will receive the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award, and Tantoo Cardinal, honoured with the Career Achievement Award. Spain has also been named Country of Honour for 2026.
Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director of the festival, added: “The Rockie Awards Honourees represent the very best of creative excellence and global impact in our industry. From iconic performances to bold, original storytelling, Jason, Mae, and Ken have each shaped the cultural conversation in meaningful ways.”

BANFF also confirmed a high-profile Showrunner Super Panel featuring creators and producers behind major international series. The lineup includes Nick Antosca (“The Act”, “Chucky”), R. Scott Gemmill (“The Pitt”), Amy B. Harris (“Sex and the City”), Lee Sung Jin (“BEEF”), Glenn Kessler, Oren Uziel and Aaron Zelman.
Pam Silverstein, Head of Programming at Banff World Media Festival, said: “These are the storytellers behind the shows audiences are watching and talking about around the world. This session offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from them, how they create, lead, and continue to push the boundaries of storytelling in a rapidly evolving industry.”