It’s an eclectic mix: the tribulations of an East Coast family, the touching tale of a young boy in rural Saskatchewan, the struggles of a Native community in the Northwest Territories and the sexy machinations of investment bankers in the big city. Then there are those gritty stories of young people trying to make their way into the adult world and creepy sci-fi stories from another realm altogether…
The Gemini race is on again and the drama series crowding the contenders’ gate run the range of themes and span the Canadian map.
Toronto-produced Traders and the Alberta/Ontario coventure North of 60 are returning best series nominees, vying for another chance to take home the prize. Stakes are high for Jake and the Kid. This is the last Gemini shot for the Alberta/Ontario copro no longer in production, but Nova Scotia newcomer Black Harbour is no doubt eager for a piece of the action. And Madison and The Outer Limits, both shot in b.c., are also hot on the trail of that coveted best series trophy waiting at the March 1 finish line.
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As a sign of the increasing profile of the Gemini Awards for the TV industry and viewing audiences alike, the 12th annual event is the last to be held late winter. The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television is repositioning the Geminis to the fall, putting the show in tune with the launch of the broadcast season and allowing networks and producers to bolster promotional efforts on their crop of CanCon programming.
Leading the pack is CBC’s the fifth estate, which landed the most (12) nominations of any one program and which has a hold on the Best Overall Broadcast Journalist category with all three contenders hailing from the show. The Arrow has emerged the leader among the movies and mini-series, boasting 11 nominations. Traders and North of 60 are neck-and-neck, vying for nine awards each, including best dramatic TV series, and last year’s best comedy series winner This Hour Has 22 Minutes faces stiff competition this time around from The Newsroom. Both shows have earned a total of six nominations each.
Over three nights beginning Feb. 27, 66 program, craft and performance prizes will be awarded from more than 2,200 Canada-wide hopefuls.
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Also in this report:
Profiling Best Direction in a Dramatic TV Series:
Kari Skogland p.22
Jon Cassar p.22
Jane Thompson p.27
Profiling Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries:
Jim Burt: The non-nominee behind so many nominations p.29
Janis Cole p.29
David Adams Richards p.31
Keith Ross Leckie p.37
Pete White p.37
Profiling the contenders for Best Sports Program or Series p.39
The nominees list p.4