"Canada's Oscars" Are Handed Out!

Paul Gross' Passchendaele wins six trophies at the Genie's

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

Former Kids in the Hall comic Dave Foley hosted the 29th annual Genie Awards--Canada's version of the Academy Awards--last Saturday night (April 4) at the Canadian Aviation Museum in Ottawa. The $20 million WWI epic Passchendaele, which Paul Gross directed, wrote, co-produced, and starred in, cleaned up at the ceremony, winning six awards, including the night's biggest honour Best Motion Picture. Passchendaele was also named the Golden Reel Award winner, representing the nation's top-grossing feature, pulling in more than $4.45 million in domestic earnings.

Another big winner at the televised show was French film The Necessities of Life, about an Inuit man who travels to Quebec to receive treatment for tuberculosis. The acclaimed film picked up four of its own trophies, including Director (Benoit Pilon), Actor (Natar Ungalaaq (pictured left)), and Original Screenplay (Bernard Emond). The Necessities of Life (Ce qu'il faut pour vivre) was Canada's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st annual Oscar Awards, and was voted Special Grand Prize of Jury at the Montreal World Film Festival last year.

Hollywood legend Susan Sarandon appeared at the Genie's in light of her nomination for starring in the Canadian film Emotional Arithmetic, but she lost the Best Actress award to another famed American performer Ellen Burstyn (The Stone Angel). Presenters for the night included Sarah Polley, Gordon Pinsent, Wendy Crewson, Callum Keith Rennie, and The Hour host George Stroumboulopoulos. Here is the complete list of winners for the 2009 Genie Awards:

Best Motion Picture: Passchendaele (Niv Fichman, Francis Damberger, Paul Gross, Frank Siracusa)
Best Director: Benoit Pilon (The Necessities of Life)
Best Actor: Natar Ungalaaq (The Necessities of Life)
Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn (The Stone Angel)
Best Supporting Actor: Callum Keith Rennie (Normal)
Best Supporting Actress: Kristin Booth (Young People Fucking)
Best Original Screenplay: The Necessities of Life (Bernard Emond)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Borderline (Marie-Sissi Labreche, Lyne Charlebois)
Best Cinematography: Fugitive Pieces (Gregory Middleton c.s.c.)
Best Art Direction/Production Design: Passchendaele (Carol Spier, Janice Blackie-Goodine)
Best Costume Design: Passchendaele (Wendy Partridge)
Best Editing: The Necessities of Life (Richard Comeau)
Best Original Score: The Stone Angel (John McCarthy)
Best Original Song: "Rahi Naguft" by Dr. Shiva (Amal)
Best Overall Sound: Passchendaele (Lou Solakofski, Garrell Clark, Steve Foster, Don White
Best Sound Editing: Passchendaele (Jane Tattersall, Kevin Banks, Barry Gilmore, Andy Malcolm, Dave Rose)
Best Documentary: Up the Yangtze (Yung Chang, Mila Aung-Thwin, John Christou, Germaine Ying-Gee Wong)
Best Animated Short: Sleeping Betty (Claude Cloutier, Marcel Jean)
Best Live Action Short Drama: Next Floor (Denis Villeneuve, Phoebe Greenberg)
Golden Reel Award: Passchendaele (Niv Fichman, Francis Damberger, Paul Gross, Frank Siracusa)
Claude Jutra Award: Yves-Christian Fournier (Everything Is Fine)