This year the 18th annual Prix Gemeaux, held Nov. 22 and 23, celebrated the best in French-language television as well as a renewed sense of industry unity.

Six hundred and thirty-eight finalists, chosen from more than 1,700 candidates, competed in 75 categories, with Zone3’s political satire Bunker, le cirque taking home seven of its 14 nominations including best direction in a dramatic series for Pierre Houle, best cinematography for Louis de Ernsted and best original music for Michel Cusson.

Zone3 productions received 24 awards in total, marking the second consecutive year in which the Montreal-based prodco topped all producers with the most wins. Last year it won 15.

Zone3’s Infoman, featuring Jean-Rene Dufort, won best comedy special or series and best comedy direction for Daniel Grou. Best youth show or series went to Zone3’s Bonjour Madame Croque-cerise and its Le Grand blond avec un show sournois won for best variety series.

Best dramatic series went to Aetios Productions’ Fortier, produced by Fabienne Larouche and Michel Trudeau. Fortier won two additional awards in the drama series category: best writing for Larouche and best editing for Andre Corriveau.

Radio-Canada series Le Monde de Charlotte from Sphere Media Plus producer Jocelyn Deschenes won in the teleroman category. SRC sitcom Rumeurs, also from Deschenes, won a total of six awards including best comedy.

In the special award categories, the Prix du Multiculturalisme was awarded to Jacquelin Bouchard, Daniel Beauchesne and Gaston Gagnon for D’ici et d’ailleurs from Montreal-based Productions Pixcom, with a special mention going to Luis Oliva.

Guy A. Lepage was recognized for his career achievements as the recipient of this year’s Grand Prix de l’Academie, voted on by a jury of past winners, including Astral Media chairman Andre Bureau, who received the prestigious award last year.

New to the Gemeaux, the Prix Jean-Besre, recognizing excellence in creativity and innovation, went to Marc Labreche, whose credits include La Petite vie: le bogue de l’an 2000 (Avanti Cine Video), L’Odyssee d’Alice Tremblay (Cinemaginaire) and La fin du monde est a 7 heures (Zone3). The winner is chosen by ‘Les Immortels,’ a distinction given to individuals or programs that are disqualified from competition because of winning three or more Gemeaux since the event began in 1987.

This year’s awards event included private broadcasters Reseau TVA and TQS who, along with several high-profile producers such as Aetios and Productions J, boycotted last year’s event. They renewed ties with the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in June, after ACCT-Quebec chair Guy Fournier worked to bring significant changes to Prix Gemeaux rules.

For the full list of Gemeaux winners, go the ACCT website.

-www.academy.ca