Brian Linehan is the host of the 21st annual Genie Award Gala, to be broadcast live on cbc from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Jan. 29.

Linehan, best known for producing and hosting celebrity talk show City Lights, began his collaboration with the Genies in 1980 when he hosted a special Canadian Women in Film segment.

He went on to host the Genie Awards in 1981 and 1982.

Philippe Falardeau is this year’s winner of the Claude Jutra Award for his work on the film La Moitie gauche du frigo. The low-budget, mockumentary comedy has earned very favorable reviews and more than $72,000 on two Montreal screens since its theatrical opening in mid-December.

The Jutra Award is presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in recognition of special achievement in a first feature film. La Moitie gauche won the best Canadian first feature prize at last fall’s Toronto International Film Festival. Film Tonic is the Canadian distributor. The award will be presented at the Genie gala.

For the second year in a row, Susan Edwards and Steve Sloan of High SeaSS! Entertainment are producing the awards show, which this year will feature performances by Jane Bunnett and Sarah Harmer.

acct president Maria Topalovich is executive producing the show.

This year’s presenters include: Liane Balaban (New Waterford Girl), Nicholas Campbell (New Waterford Girl), Tom McCamus (I Love a Man in Uniform), Wendy Crewson (At the End of the Day: The Sue Rodriguez Story), Marie-Josee Croze (Maelstrom), Colm Feore (The Perfect Son), Teri Hart (In Profile), Mia Kirshner (Love and Human Remains), Marina Orsini (Dr. Lucille: The Lucille Teasdale Story), Jeremy Podeswa (The Five Senses), Tara Spencer-Nairn (New Waterford Girl), Mary Walsh (New Waterford Girl) and Peter Williams (Love Come Down). *

-www.academy.ca

Samantha Yaffe, Leo Rice-Barker