MONTREAL — A television series about a Quebec family that tore itself apart after a $7.6-million lottery win has swept the nominations for the 2008 Prix Gémeaux.

Picking up 15 nominations was Les Lavigueur, la vraie histoire (Locomotion), which is based on the bizarre true story of the Lavigueur family, which won what in 1986 was the largest lottery jackpot in Canadian history. The hit Radio-Canada series, which drew over two million people at the peak of its popularity, was also a controversial one; a number of family members stepped forward to contest their televised depiction.

‘It’s extraordinary. This series had a major impact and it’s really nice to be recognized like this,’ says director Sylvain Archambault, who was also nominated for his work on the series. ‘The story is just so incredible. If we had made it up no one would have believed it. I really just felt like I had a small part in it. I was just the guide who had an excellent script and cast and crew.’

Laurence Leboeuf and Pierre Verville were also nominated for their performances in the series.

Les Lavigueur, which was nominated for best series and best script (Jacques Savoie), made major waves when it was broadcast this winter. Le Journal de Montreal, Quebec’s largest tabloid, ran a six-page take on the program entitled ‘Far from the truth,’ collecting interviews from those who had been involved with the real-life Lavigeurs. And Jean-Pierre Pilon, the lawyer who represented the real Louise Lavigueur — she didn’t contribute to the purchase of the ticket and sued to get her share of the jackpot — accused the network of slander and filed a complaint against SRC that prompted modifications to the description of his character on its website.

Just behind Les Lavigueur with 14 nods is Le Négociateur, from Les Productions Sovimage, with nominations including best series and best script (Danielle Dansereau). Louise Forestier and Sylvain Marcel were also recognized for their performances in the police series.

The popular teleroman Annie et ses hommes and the comedy Les hauts et les bas de Sophie Paquin picked up 11 nominations each. The 23 annual Prix Gémeaux will be held Sept. 14.