CBC programs garnered eight nominations for the upcoming Hot Docs! Canadian International Documentary Awards, to be announced March 22 in Toronto.

The National Film Board is vying for seven awards, followed by Associated Producers with three nominations.

Entries totaled 400 this year, up from last year’s 320 submissions, pared down to 60 contenders competing in 16 categories.

Wayne Abbott’s Between Here and Heaven: In Search of Jamie Marr, John Kastner’s Hunting Bobby Oatway and Neil Docherty’s Murder, Money and Mexico are all cbc productions with a deadlock on the political/social broadcast category.

The arts/culture broadcasting category is also a fight between three cbc shows, all for Life and Times: Andrew Gregg’s Christopher & Mary Pratt, Robert Bateman, also directed by Gregg, and Halya Kuchmij’s Tom Jackson.

Caroline Underwood’s Yellowstone to Yukon: The Wild Heart of North America and Morris Karp’s John/Joan are cbc productions nominated in the science/tech broadcasting category, along with Discovery Channel’s Mind Over Matter and tvontario’s Clear Water, Cloudy Future.

Arts category nominees are Associated/nfb’s The Dancing Game, Sienna Films’ Erotica: A Journey into Female Sexuality, Walt Inc.’s Guy Maddin: Waiting For Twilight and Peripheral Visions Film & Video’s Shooting Indians – A Journey with Jeffrey Thomas.

History programs include Associated’s Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies & the American Dream, Bishari Film Productions’ Kim’s Story: The Road From Vietnam, The Fifties’ Let’s Play House and the nfb’s Seven Brides for Uncle Sam.

Vying for best political doc are the nfb’s Chile, The Obstinate Memory, Telltale Productions’ Fury For The Sound, Blackstock Pictures/Eurasia Motion Pictures’ Gerrie & Louise and High Road Productions’ Never-Endum Referendum.

Science/tech/environment nominees are Greenspace Productions’ Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve, the nfb’s Influenza and Great North Productions’ The Rat Among Us.

Cultural programs vying for awards are Associated’s A Mother’s Grief, the nfb’s Quatre femmes d’Egypte, Barker Solar Productions’ Sitting on a Story, Maximage Productions’ Towards a Promised Land and Makin’ Movies’ Unveiled: The Mother Daughter Relationship.

Hot Docs! is seeking submissions for its annual pitching session, set for March 20, to be facilitated by Pat Ferns of the Banff Television Festival, Chris Haws, commissioning editor of Discovery u.k., and Jan Rofekamp of Films Transit.

Eligible projects must have a minimum of 10% of financing in place and the pitcher must be accompanied by a commissioning editor. Hot Docs! may consider projects without the above criteria.

The pitch session aims to connect producers with commissioning editors from Europe, the u.s., Australia and Canada.

Deadline for proposals is Feb. 23. For further info contact Shoana Martin at (416) 975-3977.

The 5th annual Hot Docs! festival and awards runs March 18-22 in Toronto and includes a festival screening and conference lineup.