Things are going to be a little different at this year’s Genies, with Quebec films better represented than ever and the Genie broadcast torch passing to CHUM from CBC. The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television announced the nominees for the 24th annual Genie Awards March 16, with the event to be held in Toronto May 1.

Jean-Francois Pouliot’s La Grande seduction leads the pack with 11 nominations, including best picture, actor, director and screenplay. Denys Arcand’s Les Invasions barbares, the first Canadian feature to win best foreign-language film at the Oscars, is tied for a close second with nine nominations, and will be up against Grande seduction in the key categories. Other Quebec films with multiple nominations include Seraphin: Un homme et son peche (six) and La Face cachee de la lune (four).

The Snow Walker, from Vancouver director Charles Martin Smith, topped English-language productions with nine nominations. While its performance at the box office has been less than spectacular so far, the film, based on a Farley Mowat story, is up for best picture, as well as best actor and supporting actress.

In addition to considerable critical acclaim, Quebec features met with incredible box-office success in 2003. CHUM is hoping this will attract a larger Quebec audience to the televised event, which will be simulcast on MusiMax, of which CHUM is a 50% owner.

As for the awards presentation itself, to be hosted by Kid in the Hall Scott Thompson, CHUM has opted for dinner tables over theatrical seating, and while the event is likely to be slightly more civilized than CHUM’s party-in-the-parking-lot style, the broadcaster seems keen on bringing its brand to the event.