1st Genie Awards
Encyclopedia
The 1st Genie Awards were the first ever Genie Awards. They were presented on March 20, 1980 and honoured films released in 1979. They were given out at a gala event at the Royal Alexandra Theatre
in Toronto
with Bruno Gerussi
as host. A luncheon the day before the gala saw the non-feature film awards presented. The show was broadcast on CBC Television
and was noted for its Oscars-like production design. The show was not without controversy: Award winner Christopher Plummer
used his speech to criticize the distinction made between Canadian and foreign actors. The fact that no French language films won any major awards was also a source of some controversy.
Royal Alexandra Theatre
The Royal Alexandra Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada located near King and Simcoe Streets. Built in 1907, the Royal Alex is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in North America.-History:...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
with Bruno Gerussi
Bruno Gerussi
Bruno Gerussi was a Canadian television actor born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, best known for the lead role in the CBC Television series The Beachcombers...
as host. A luncheon the day before the gala saw the non-feature film awards presented. The show was broadcast on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
and was noted for its Oscars-like production design. The show was not without controversy: Award winner Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
used his speech to criticize the distinction made between Canadian and foreign actors. The fact that no French language films won any major awards was also a source of some controversy.
Award winners
- Best Motion PictureGenie Award for Best Motion PictureThe Genie Award for Best Motion Picture is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best Canadian motion picture.-1st Genie Awards:*The Changeling *Cordélia...
— Garth DrabinskyGarth DrabinskyGarth Howard Drabinsky, OC is a former Canadian film and theatrical producer and entrepreneur. In 2009, he was convicted and sentenced to prison for fraud and forgery. His sentence is stayed, pending appeal.-Biography:...
and Joel B. MichaelsJoel B. MichaelsJoel B. Michaels is a film producer and actor. His notable work includes The Changeling for which he won a Best Motion Picture and a Golden Reel Award....
, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr... - Director — Bob ClarkBob ClarkBenjamin "Bob" Clark was an American actor, director, screenwriter and producer best known for directing and writing the script with Jean Shepherd to the 1983 Christmas film A Christmas Story...
, Murder by DecreeMurder by DecreeMurder by Decree is an Anglo-Canadian thriller film involving Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson in the case of the serial murderer Jack the Ripper... - Actress — Kate LynchKate LynchKate Lynch is a Genie Award-winning actress whose career spans four decades. In 1980 she won the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Meatballs...
, MeatballsMeatballs (film)Meatballs is a 1979 Canadian comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman. It is noted for the first film appearance of Bill Murray in a starring role and for launching Reitman into a distinguished career of financially successful comedies including Stripes and Ghostbusters , both starring Murray... - Actor — Christopher PlummerChristopher PlummerArthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
, Murder by DecreeMurder by DecreeMurder by Decree is an Anglo-Canadian thriller film involving Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson in the case of the serial murderer Jack the Ripper... - Supporting Actor — Gordon PinsentGordon PinsentGordon Edward Pinsent, CC, FRSC is a Canadian television, theatre and film actor.-Early life:Pinsent, the youngest of six children, was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, the son of Flossie ; originally from Clifton, Newfoundland, and Stephen Arthur Pinsent, a papermill worker and cobbler;...
, Klondike FeverKlondike FeverKlondike Fever is a 1980 Canadian adventure film, based on the writings of Jack London.- Plot :* Jack London's journey from San Francisco to the Canadian Klondike gold fields in 1898.- Awards :... - Supporting Actress — Geneviève BujoldGeneviève BujoldGeneviève Bujold is a Canadian actress best known for her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in the 1969 film Anne of the Thousand Days, for which she won a Golden Globe Award for best actress and was nominated for an Academy Award....
, Murder by DecreeMurder by DecreeMurder by Decree is an Anglo-Canadian thriller film involving Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson in the case of the serial murderer Jack the Ripper... - Foreign Actor — George C. ScottGeorge C. ScottGeorge Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr... - Foreign Actress — Trish Van DevereTrish Van DevereTrish Van Devere is an American actress.-Early life:Van Devere was born as Patricia Louise Dressel in Tenafly, New Jersey. She was married to the actor George C...
, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr... - Original Script — Len BlumLen BlumLeonard Solomon “Len” Blum, is an award winning Canadian screenwriter, film producer and film composer. He graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1975 and wrote many films including Meatballs, Stripes, Heavy Metal, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, Meatballs...
, Dan Goldberg, Janis Allen, MeatballsMeatballs (film)Meatballs is a 1979 Canadian comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman. It is noted for the first film appearance of Bill Murray in a starring role and for launching Reitman into a distinguished career of financially successful comedies including Stripes and Ghostbusters , both starring Murray... - Adapted Screenplay — William Gray and Diana Maddox, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr...
- Art Design — Trevor Williams, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr...
- Cinematography — John CoquillonJohn CoquillonJohn Coquillon was a Canadian cinematographer.Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Coquillon started in the British film industry as a Pinewood Studios clapper loader in the 1950s before becoming a documentary cameraman later in the decade shooting numerous wildlife movies throughout Africa. ...
, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr... - Costume Design — Louise Jobin, CordéliaCordéliaCordélia is a 1980 Canadian French language film based on the book La lampe dans la fenêtre by Pauline Cadieux. It was directed and written by Jean Beaudin.- Plot :...
- Music — Carl Zittrer and Paul ZazaPaul ZazaPaul Zaza is a Genie Award-winning film score and songwriter. In 1980 he won the Genie Award for Best Music Score alongside Carl Zittrer for their work on Murder by Decree. He was nominated for the same award in 1985 for Isaac Littlefeathers. In 1987 he received a Genie nomination for Best Original...
, Murder by DecreeMurder by DecreeMurder by Decree is an Anglo-Canadian thriller film involving Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson in the case of the serial murderer Jack the Ripper... - Sound — Joe Grimaldi, Austin Grimaldi, Doni Pigat, Karl Scherer, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr...
- Sound Editing — Patrick Drummond, Dennis Drummond, Robert Grieve, The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr...