Montreal: Radio-Canada’s paranormal mystery L’Héritière de Grande Ourse was the big winner at the 20th annual Gemeaux awards, taking eight of its 14 nominations on Dec. 4, including best dramatic series, best director for Patrice Sauvé and best original music for Normand Corbeil.

It was followed closely, however, by TVA’s teleroman Annie et ses hommes, which took all seven of its noms, including best teleroman, best actress for Guylaine Tremblay (her second win in a row), best actor for Denis Bouchard and best director for Richard Lahaie.

The photo finish suggests that organizers of the French-language TV awards are responding to accusations that they are biased in favor of pubcaster SRC.

Both of the province’s private networks, TVA and TQS, boycotted the 2005 Gemeaux, putting pressure on organizers at the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to rethink their voting process. Critics have long charged that the Gemeaux are elitist and overlook programming that has broad, mainstream appeal.

Neither network put any shows forward for consideration, although independent producers were free to submit their shows on their own. Adding to the chorus of disapproval were private producers Fabienne Larouche (Virginie) and Julie Snyder (Star Académie), who also declined to participate.

Jocelyn Deschênes of Sphère Média Plus, a coproducer of Annie, thinks the wins are a strong indication that the Academy is responding to the criticism. ‘Our show is hugely popular with the public, and has also won seven Gemeaux awards. You could say we have won both hearts and minds,’ he says.

He adds that the awards are ‘an extremely important institution – we should be trying to strengthen and improve them, not abandon them. I think the artists who work so hard really need and deserve this kind of recognition.’

While the awards did go on, ratings suffered, with only an estimated 100,000 viewers tuning in, down from past years. Without TVA or TQS willing to take part, the broadcast went to Canal D, a specialty channel with a smaller audience.

Other notable winners include SRC’s Rumeurs (taking five awards, including best comedy), TVA’s soap spoof Le Coeur a ses raisons (three awards), SRC’s Tout le monde en parle (three awards, including best variety or talk show), Flash (best cultural magazine), Soleil de minuit (best variety special on the arts), Roger Toupin, épicier variété (best documentary concerning society) and Big Sugar/L’Empire du sucre (best documentary series).

www.academy.ca/academy/regions/quebec