1st Genie Awards

The 1st Genie Awards were presented on March 20, 1980, and honoured films released in 1979.[1]

1st Genie Awards
DateMarch 20, 1980
SiteRoyal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto
Hosted byBruno Gerussi
Ben Wicks
Highlights
Best PictureThe Changeling
Most nominationsThe Changeling

Immediately after the 1978 Canadian Film Awards, which were nearly cancelled due to disputes and controversy, industry leaders met to design a new awards organization based on the academy system of industry nomination and secret ballot. Members of the Canadian Film Awards committee were skeptical about nominator qualifications, and about the motivations of those who wanted the academy system, fearing that they would imitate the American model and that big-budget commercial films would swamp Canadian films.[2]

After a year of discussion, it was agreed that 14 members of the CFA committee and 14 elected representatives from industry organizations would form a board to oversee a new association whose mandate was to stimulate higher standards of filmmaking, foster educational service and develop public awareness of the industry. On April 11, 1979, the creation of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television was formally announced.[2]

For the first time 500 filmmakers were responsible for nomination and voting. Films were screened for members in Montreal and Toronto and then chosen by secret nomination and final ballot before being submitted to an impartial accounting firm.[2]

Ceremony

The first Genie Awards, as they were now known, were given out at a gala event at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto with actor Bruno Gerussi as host.[1][3][4][5]

The show was broadcast live on CBC Television and was noted for its Oscars-like production design, with production numbers including a jazz dance performance by Jeff Hyslop and Karen Kain set to the tune of "Dancing in the Dark", and female impersonator Craig Russell in character as Judy Garland.[6]

The event was not without controversy. Despite having duly released three nominations in the category of Editing in a Dramatic Film (Non-Feature), the jury used the moment of presentation to announce that they had deemed none worthy of an award.[7] Producer Sam Levene, in his acceptance speech for another award, called the decision an "arrogant slap in the face" to the nominees.[7] The fact that no French language films won any major awards was an issue.[1] Award winner Christopher Plummer used his speech to criticize the distinction made between Canadian and foreign actors, calling on the Academy to treat "Canadian or Samothracian" actors equally.[1] The Foreign Actors categories were dropped in 1984.

On March 19th, cartoonist Ben Wicks hosted a luncheon for the 105 entrants in the non-feature categories.[7] Also this year, on November 6th, and under the administration of the academy, the Canadian Film Editors Guild, the Canadian Society of Cinematographers and the Canadian Film Sound Society hosted the 1980 Film Craft Awards.[2]

Films
Best Motion Picture Outstanding Theatrical Short
Outstanding Documentary 30 Minutes and Under Outstanding Documentary 30 Minutes and Over
Outstanding TV Drama 30 Minutes and Under Outstanding TV Drama 30 Minutes and Over
Outstanding Animation Outstanding Independent Film

Feature Film Craft Awards
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Performance by a Foreign Actor Best Performance by a Foreign Actress
Best Achievement in Art Direction Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Best Achievement in Cinematography Best Achievement in Direction
Best Achievement in Film Editing Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Best Achievement in Sound Outstanding Original Music Score
Best Original Screenplay Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium

Non-Feature Craft Awards
Outstanding Performance by an Actor Outstanding Performance by an Actress
Outstanding Cinematography in a Dramatic Film Outstanding Cinematography in a Documentary
Outstanding Direction in a Dramatic Film Outstanding Direction in a Documentary
Outstanding Art Direction Outstanding Editing in Documentary
Outstanding Editing in a Dramatic Film Outstanding Sound in a Non-Feature Film
  • Blue ribbon Tony Van den Akker, Al Caruso, Andy Malcolm and Terry Burke - Track Stars: The Unseen Heroes of Movie Sound
  • Hans Oomes and Bernard Bordeleau - Paperland: The Bureaucrat Observed
  • Alex Taylor, Michael Lax and Austin Grimaldi - Dieppe 1942
Outstanding Screenplay Outstanding Non-Dramatic Script
Outstanding Original Music Score Golden Reel Award
Air Canada Award John Grierson Award
  • George Destounis (Famous Players president), "for outstanding contributions to the business of filmmaking in Canada".
  • Rex Tasker "for outstanding contributions to Canadian cinema".
Special Award Special Award
  • Certain Practices, "for direction, screenplay and editing".
  • Chaque enfant (Every Child), "Hans-Peter Strobl for sound".


References
  1. Jay Scott, "Changeling wins Genie as year's best movie". The Globe and Mail, March 21, 1980.
  2. Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7737-3238-1. pp. 117-199.
  3. "1980 Genie Awards Program". archive.org. Archive.org. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  4. Duart Snow, "Enter Genie, son of old Etrog". Ottawa Journal, March 15, 1980.
  5. Jay Scott, "Changeling leads Canadian Film Award nominees". The Globe and Mail, February 8, 1980.
  6. Meg Floyd, "Jazzing up the Genies". The Globe and Mail, March 15, 1980.
  7. Rick Groen, "NFB, Brittain dominate TV Genie awards". The Globe and Mail, March 20, 1980.
  8. "The Changeling". cfe.tiff.net. Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  9. "Cordélia". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  10. "Klondike Fever". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  11. "Meatballs". cfe.tiff.net. Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  12. Canby, Vincent (November 2, 1979). "Screen: 'Running,' Winning and Losing: Marathon Mania". The New York Times. p. C7.
  13. "Nails". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  14. "Twice Upon a Time..." onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  15. "Track stars, the unseen heroes of movie sound". worldcat.org. WorldCat. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  16. "Priory, the Only Home I've Got". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  17. "Taking Chances". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  18. "Paperland: The Bureaucrat Observed". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  19. "Glenn Gould's Toronto". screenculture.org. CESIF. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  20. "Bravery in the Field". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  21. "Revolution's Orphans". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  22. "Chaque enfant". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  23. "Caninabis". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  24. "Tukiki and His Search for a Merry Christmas". kinorium.com. Kinorium. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  25. "Glenn Gould's Toronto 1979". ocul-yor.primo.exlibrisgroup.com. York University. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  26. "Murder by Decree". cfe.tiff.net. Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  27. "Something's Rotten". bfi.org,uk. British Screen Institute. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  28. "Summer's Children". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  29. "The Rubber Gun". cfe.tiff.net. Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  30. "A Scream from Silence". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  31. "L'arrache-coeur". femfilm.ca. Canadian Women Film Directors Database. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  32. "Yesterday". collections.cinematheque.qc.ca. Cinémathèque. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  33. "Agency – Film de George Kaczender". filmsquebec.com. Films du Quebec. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  34. "The Brood". cfe.tiff.net. Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  35. "Wild Horse Hank". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  36. "It Rained all Night the Day I Left". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 21, 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  37. "Un Éclair Au Chocolat (1979)". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  38. "Tanya's Island". kinorium.com. Kinorium. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  39. "Ice Birds = Le Pilier de cristal". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 27 March 2023.


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