MONTREAL — Although TVA is boycotting the Prix Gémeaux for the third straight year, its crime drama Le négociateur leads the pack in the run-up to French-language TV awards with 12 nominations.

Among the awards Le négociateur is up for: best dramatic series, best writing for Danielle Dansereau, best cinematography for Jérôme Sabourin, and best original music for the team of Jean-Pierre Brie, Martin Gauthier and Claude Thibault. The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in Quebec also nominated Sylvain Marcel and Louise Forestier for their starring roles in the series, which is produced by Les Productions Sovimage.

Although it allows the independent producers it works with to submit nominations, TVA doesn’t participate in the Gémeaux, maintaining that the Academy is out of touch with popular tastes and is biased in favor of Radio-Canada. Similarly, the French-language cable network TQS doesn’t put forward contenders for the annual awards, which will be broadcast live on SRC on Sept. 9.

‘It’s unfortunate that TVA and TQS don’t get involved, but I respect their decision. They believe that television awards should be decided by the public, by the viewers, and that’s fine,’ says Academy president Charles Ohayon. ‘But we firmly believe in this process, in the idea of peers judging peers. It’s simply two different philosophies.’

Ohayon is pleased the awards will be shown on a mainstream network this year. Last year the ceremony was broadcast on SRC cable channel ArtTV, a choice criticized by a number of industry watchers.

The Academy also gave 11 nods to Minuit, le soir — the Zone 3 nightclub drama on SRC — including best dramatic series, best director for Daniel ‘Podz’ Grou, best writing for Pierre-Yves Bernard and Claude Legault, and best lead role for Legault.

Minuit was the big winner at last year’s Gémeaux, taking seven wins, including best drama and direction.

Les hauts et les bas de Sophie Paquin, the SRC comedy about a single mother who runs a talent agency, by Sphère Média Plus, also received 11 nominations, including best comedy writing for Richard Blaimert and best cinematography for Ronald Plante. Suzanne Clément also received a best actress nod for her starring role.

One of the province’s most popular téléromans, TVA’s Annie et ses hommes, also from Sphère, is also a hit with the Academy. It received 10 noms, including best téléroman, best direction for Brigitte Couture and best writing for Bernard Dansereau and Annie Piérard. Guylaine Tremblay and Denis Bouchard also received nods for their starring roles in the series.

The popular office comedy Rumeurs, another from Sphère, is up for eight awards, as is the prodco’s teleroman Providence and the New Year’s comedy show Le Bye Bye de RBO 2006, produced by L’Équipe Spectra and Les Productions Gammick International.

The awards ceremony, which will be hosted by André Robitaille (Bon Cop, Bad Cop) will take place at Montreal’s convention center, the Palais des congrès.