Montreal: Members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television – Quebec section don’t necessarily judge programs in the same manner the public does, so audience ratings for this year’s Prix Gemeaux program finalists are only part of the story.

The field in the best drama series category seems especially competitive.

Last season’s top-rated drama, Fortier (Aetios Productions), chronicling the dangerous work of a female anti-crime unit psychologist, is also this year’s most-nominated drama series with 15 Prix Gemeaux nominations. Broadcast on Reseau TVA, Fortier was the only series to draw more than two million viewers last season. The show is scripted by Fabienne Larouche and stars Sophie Lorain and Gilbert Sicotte, each nominated for a Gemeaux.

Willie (Avanti Cine Video), broadcast on Reseau TVA, has 12 nominations and is inspired by the real-life story of the late Willie Lamothe, a Quebec show-biz legend, country music star and dedicated bon vivant and ladies’ man. Screenwriters Jean Beaudin, Claude Paquette and Marcel Sabourin are nominated, as are actors Luc Geurin and Nathalie Mallette.

TVA series 2 Freres (Cirrus Communications/Sphere Media), a dramatization of contemporary life in Quebec society, has 10 Prix Gemeaux nominations. In the second season, two brothers are forced to come to terms with a terrible personal injury and the consequences of past criminal activities. Screenwriters Anne Boyer, Michel D’Astous, Bernard Dansereau and Annie Pierard are nominated this year, as are actors Marc Beaupre and Elise Guilbault.

The world of big-time street crime and its impact on families and the social justice system is the subject of the Radio-Canada series Tag (Motion International), which has eight nominations. Writer Joanne Arseneau is in the running for a statue along with actor Celine Bonnier.

The loves and lives of five highly diverse friends and young adults is chronicled in the SRC series La Vie, La Vie (Cirrus Communications/Lux Films), which has six Gemeaux nominations, including a nomination for writer Stephane Bourguignon.

Other nominees for best performance by a lead actor in a drama series or program include Normand Chouinard for the stage play adaptation Don Quichotte (Productions Sogestalt), Pierre Curzi for the stage play adaptation Trick or Treat (Zone3) and Marie-France Marcotte for the ad agency drama Tribu.Com (Productions Sovimage).

Four other series each received six nominations this year: the preschool show Cornemuse (Telefiction), the teleroman Le Monde de Charlotte (Sphere Media), the sitcom Un Gars, Une Fille (Avanti Cine Video) and the children’s adventure series Tohu-Bohu (Productions Sogestalt).

Last year’s Prix Gemeaux winner for best drama series was the biographical Chartrand et Simone (Productions Videofilms)

Live on RDI and SRC

The 16th Gala des Prix Gemeaux will be broadcast in two parts on Sunday, Sept. 30. The afternoon presentation will be broadcast live at 2:30 p.m. on Reseau de l’Information. The evening gala will be broadcast live on Radio-Canada, starting at 7:30 p.m.. The host for the evening gala is the talented Normand Brathwaite, who has a new show this coming season on Television Quatre Saisons. Last year’s Gemeaux gala attracted an SRC network audience of close to 1.2 million.

This year, the Academy will hand out 76 Gemeaux in program, craft and performance categories. Three special awards will also be presented: the Grand Prix de l’Academie, for career contribution and achievement; the Prix du Multiculturalisme, awarded in association with Canadian Heritage; and for the first time, a special prize for the best website based on an eligible program.

For its 16th edition, 284 program submissions were filed with the ACCT office in Quebec, an increase of 10% over last year. More than 73% were from independent producers, the balance from broadcaster affiliates. In all, 663 finalists are in the race, representing 149 programs from 65 production companies, including TV network affiliates.

Kodak Canada is again the sponsor of a special reception/cocktail in honor of this year’s Prix Gemeaux finalists on Monday, Sept. 24. The Kodak/Prix Spectrum award is presented to cinematographers in both film/digital video and video categories.

All Prix Gemeaux votes must be filed before Wednesday, Sept. 12.

The Gala des Prix Gemeaux is executive produced by Patrice Lachance and Suzanne D’Amours, director and president, respectively, of the Quebec section of the ACCT, in association with RDI and SRC.

Principal sponsors include Ford du Canada, Monnaie royale du Canada, Physique, Telefilm Canada, SODEC and the Fonds Canadien de Television.