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Ross and Don McLean Memorial Award

About the award

The Ross and Don McLean Memorial Award is named in honour of two brothers who greatly affected the television production industry. This award recognizes the group of graduating students who prepared the most outstanding documentary.

Don McLean originally established this award in honour of his brother, Ross McLean, a pioneer of Canadian television. Ross was there at the launch of the CBC English network in 1952. He produced a number of top shows at the CBC and CTV, including Tabloid, Close-up, The Way It Is, Quest, and This Hour Has Seven Days. He died suddenly on June 1, 1987, at 62. Don McLean himself was a force to be reckoned with in the business. Don (1933-2005) was an executive producer and salesman extraordinaire. He was the key figure in creating The Partners’ Film Company on New Year’s Day 1978. By 1988, Partners was the largest production company in North America. His brilliance as a businessman was only matched by his concern for talent. Following Don’s death, his son Ross and associates expanded the memorial fund to remember the contributions of both brothers.

Past Winners

2024

Natalie Goyarzu

Drew Glennie

Sophie Guatto

Gabriel Suarez

Joseph Ryan

2023

Clesha Felicien

Edward Djan

Sarah Tomlinson

Soofia Omari

Thea Gribilas

2022

Katia Galati

Masih Khalatbariderakhshan

Naama Weingarten

Nicholas Parker

Rachel Parent

2021

Deepak Bidwai

Premila D’Sa

Yasmin Shadmani

Patrick Swadden

Grace Brison

2020

Charlie Buckley 

Sheehan Desjardins 

Ben Hargreaves 

Moosa Imran 

Nathan Sing 

Brent Smyth

2019

Alexandria Benedict

Nicole Di Donato

Kosalan Kathiramalanathan

Jasmine Bala

Melissa Bennardo

2018

Lindsay Christopher

Erika Dreher

Natasha Hermann

Brenda Molina-Navidad

Imani Walker

Kate Skelly

2017

Mitch Bowmile

Luke Galati

Chis Blanchette

Will Brown

Bradly Shankar

2016

Ban Ibrahim

Tiffany Crawford

Rosemond Quartey

Alannah Kavanagh

2015

Tamara Sestanj

Domink Luszczyszyn

Steve Tzemis

Laura Calabrese

Alisha Sawhney

2014

Hayley Brauer

Greg DeClara

Harpreet Grewal

Sydney Poulos

Sarah Warne

2013

Alejandra Rueda Ruano

Matthew  O'Mara

Natalie Ast

Diana Duong

Hanna Mohammed