Montreal: Close to 600 finalists in 69 program, craft and performance categories will vie for Prix Gemeaux honors at the 15th annual edition of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television awards for excellence in French-language television.

This year, 257 programs from independent producers and broadcast affiliates were submitted to the Gemeaux competition, with 158 programs receiving at least one nomination, 70% from independent producers.

Reseau de l’Information will broadcast the afternoon industry portion of the Gemeaux live from Centre Pierre-Peladeau, Oct. 15. The evening gala will be broadcast live from Theatre Saint-Denis on Radio-Canada, starting at 7:30 p.m., with popular comic Normand Brathwaite returning as host. Subsequently, TV5 will broadcast the gala portion of the program internationally.

Topping all program nominees this year is the top-rated Reseau tva crime drama Fortier (Aetios Production), with 13 nominations, including a nomination for best female performer in a drama series for the show’s star, Sophie Lorain. Lorain (Omerta) plays a forensic psychologist who more than holds her own in the macho world of police investigation.

In the best drama series category, Fortier is up against the second installment of the src historical drama L’Ombre de l’Epervier (Verseau Internationl), which has 10 nominations, including best writing for veterans Robert Favreau and Guy Fournier, and best cinematography in a drama or documentary for Alain Dupras.

Also contending in the best drama series category: the Reseau tva series 2 Freres (Cirrus Communications/Productions Jocelyn Deschenes), the dramatic story of two teenage brothers reunited after seven years of separation, with six nominations; the moving, biographical src series Chartrand et Somonne (Productions Videofilms), with seven nominations; and the src series Quadra (Bloom Films 1998), an explosive dramatization of the coming together of a victim and his aggressor, with six nominations.

Other multi-Gemeaux program nominees include the zany src sitcom La Petite Vie: le bogie de l’an 2000 (Avanti Cine Video), with eight nominations; Tele-Quebec’s award-winning preschool series Cornemuse (Telefiction), with seven nominations; and the src teleroman La Part des Anges (Productions Point de Mire), also with seven. The teleroman 4 et demi (src), starting production on its seventh and final season, has six nominations. Also with six nominations are the src teleplay Albertine, en cinq temps (Productions Sogestalt), adapted from the landmark Michel Tremblay stageplay, and the Reseau tva teleroman Rue l’esperance (JPL Production).

A best animation program or series Gemeaux is always among the most sought-after awards, and this year five series, including four international coproductions, have received nominations: Escargolymiques (Productions Tooncan/Truca Films); Jim Bouton (CineGroupe/Saban International, Paris); last year’s surprise winner, the motion-control animation show Le special du peuple de Francois Perusse (Cinema 3180 B.E.); Les Ailes du Dragon (P.R.H. St-Clair/Infine Films); and Les Aventures d’une mouche (TVA International/ Futurikon).

Four special Prix Gemeaux are also presented – the Grand Prix de l’Academy for career contribution; Prix du Multiculturalisme, awarded in conjunction with Canadian Heritage; Prix Special, for contribution to the production industry; and new this year, Prix de la Francophonie, recognizing contribution to the international career of a French-language program or performer.

Ford du Canada is official sponsor of the 15th edition of the Prix Gemeaux. Additional funding support is provided by Telefilm Canada, sodec and the Canadian Television Fund.

Following is a complete list of Prix Gemeaux nominees. *

-www.academy.ca