Montreal: The big-budget crime drama Omerta: la loi du silence (SDA Productions) topped all programs at the 13th Prix Gemeaux, winning eight awards for best series, direction, photography, writing, editing, music composition and supporting actor and actress. Omerta also won the Prix Uniprix for most popular series as voted by the public.

Other major program winners this year include the teleroman remake Sous le sign du Lion (sda) with six Gemeaux, the historical drama L’Ombre de l’Epervier (Verseau International) with five, including best male and female lead in a series (Luc Picard and Isabel Richer, respectively), and the sketch comedy Un gars, une fille (Avanti Cine Video), which won four awards.

The talk show Christian Charette en direct (Radio-Canada/Productions Gignac-Charette), the historical crime anthology Des Crimes et des Hommes (Productions Sovimage) and the family drama special L’Histoire de l’oie/Tale of Teeka (Galafilm/Triptych Media) each won three Gemeaux.

The prizes were awarded Sunday, Sept. 27 at an afternoon industry (craft) gala, broadcast on Reseau de l’Information, and at an evening gala broadcast live from Theatre St-Denis on Radio-Canada.

Over 1,400 from the broadcasting, production, craft and talent sectors attended this year’s Gala des Prix Gemeaux, produced by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

Thirty-three programs from 20 production houses won at least one Gemeaux, with 73% of all awards going to independent producers.

For Omerta, this year marked its second best drama series win following honors in ’96. Cher Olivier (Avanti) was last year’s winner.

In the Special Prix Gemeaux categories, writer/producer Lise Payette of production house Point de Mire was awarded the acct career achievement prize, the Grand Prix de l’Academie.

A former actor, interviewer and politician, Payette is credited with pioneering women’s role in broadcasting, and in Quebec society in general, and received an extended standing ovation from her colleagues in the Theatre St-Denis audience.

The Prix du Multiculturalisme, awarded in association with Canadian Heritage, went to Village Mosaique (National Film Board), while the Prix Special de l’Academie for career contribution went to veteran program exporter Jacques Bouchard, president of The Multimedia Group of Canada.

In addition to the individual honors for L’Ombre de l’Epervier’s Picard and Richer, Sous le signe’s Jacques Godin and Danielle Proulx won for best male and female leads in a teleroman. Yves Soutiere and Thomas Graton shared the Gemeaux for best actor in a youth series for Pin-Pon (Telefiction), while Un gars, une fille’s Sylvie Leonard and Guy A. Lepage won for best performance in a comedy series or program.

The Gemeaux for best children’s series or animation went to Caillou (Cinar Films). L’Ecuyer (Michel Gauthier Productions) won for best variety series and ‘Let’s Talk About Love’ avec Celine Dion (Productions J/Productions Feeling) won for best variety special.

In documentaries, the prize for best performing arts/arts documentary went to Charles Dutoit et Jeanne d’Arc a Tokyo (src) while best documentary went to Lea Pool’s Gabrielle Roy (Productions de l’Impatiente/Buffalo Gal Pictures.)

The winning craft team on Omerta includes director Pierre Houle, screenwriter Luc Dionne, film dop Louis De Ernsted, editor Jean-Pierre Cereghetti and music composer Michel Cusson.

L’Ombre de l’Epervier was also recognized for its craft excellence with Gemeaux wins for Louise Jobin (art direction), Francois Laplante (costumes) and Daniel Villeneuve (best video photography.)

The acct also announced that its president, Andreanne Bournival, and executives from Groupe tva had reached an agreement assuring tva’s participation in next year’s Gemeaux competition.