VICE Quebec Receives Two Gemeaux Awards

VICE Quebec announces two Gemeaux award wins today. The prestigious awards honour both television and digital productions produced in Quebec.

VICE Quebec’s original documentary The Hunt for Shale Gas on the Deer-Infested Island of Anticosti won in the categories best original show or series produced for digital media: current affairs, magazine, sport and best host in an original show or series produced for digital media awarded to VICE correspondent Simon Coutu. In addition to the award wins, the team earned two Gemeaux nominations in the same categories for Femen: Sextremism in Canada and for VICE Quebec correspondent Brigitte Noel.

Both documentaries are indicative of the unique, immersive and in depth reporting Canadians have come to expect from VICE. The team will continue to build from this position of strength as they ramp up production for the official launch of VICE Quebec slated for the end of October.

“It’s a remarkable win for us,” said Michael Kronish, Executive Vice President, Television and Online, VICE Canada. “Congratulations to our team in Quebec – both the nominations and awards set the tone for what’s to come.”

“I am very proud of our small but mighty team for earning this level of recognition on the very first slate of programming produced out of Quebec,” said Delphine Poux, General Manger, VICE Quebec. “I look forward to the increase in the amount and breadth of content with our upcoming launch”

 
The Hunt for Shale Gas on the Deer-Infested Island of Anticosti
Anticosti is nestled in the heart of the St-Lawrence gulf but it’s on the front lines of a major environmental controversy. Despite Quebec’s commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions at the Paris Climate Change Conference, the province seems rather tempted by the estimated 246 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 12.3 million barrels of oil that could be extracted each year from Anticosti. Petrolia has already gotten the green light from the province to begin exploratory fracking in early 2024 to find out if Anticosti really is as lucrative as estimates suggest. Some of the island’s 200 residents are apprehensive that the thousands of wells will destroy their island, but with mounting unemployment and few prospects, many locals see the shale gas and oil project as their only option. Meanwhile, 200,000 deer are freely wandering the island and adding another layer of complexity to Anticosti’s ecosystem, making it a unique hunting ground in North America. VICE traveled to some of the most isolated drilling sites in Quebec to spend time with locals and find out how promises of gas and glory are affecting the tiny, hunting-based community.

Femen: Sextremism in Canada.
Their objective is to destroy patriarchy; their weapons are bare breasts. FEMEN “sextremists” have now set up shop in more than ten countries, but only have one active branch in North America. VICE journalist Brigitte Noël enters the world of FEMEN Quebec as they disturb the public space with their homegrown brand of sextremism, bringing skin, controversy, and feminism to the front page. As they set out on a mission to protect abortion rights, VICE shadowed the group to get a better understanding of their message, their approach, and whether or not their shock-and-awe tactics actually work.