Pictured: Adam Ruggerio and Charlotte Arnold present at the Geminis, night two (credit: George Pimental, courtesy ACCT)

Guns was the big winner at the 25th Gemini Awards on Wednesday night (honoring drama, children’s, youth, comedy and variety), as the CBC drama mini-series snagged five trophies.

The husband and wife team of Sudz Sutherland and Jennifer Holness took home the honors for best writing in a dramatic program or mini-series, with Sutherland also nabbing best direction in a dramatic program or mini-series. Jeff Warren for best picture editing in a dramatic series.

Cle Bennett and Debra Lynne McCabe added to the Guns award count, each taking best performance by an actor and actress in a featured supporting role in a dramatic program or mini-series.

Bennett thanked his family, adding: “Thank you for not throwing out that fridge box I learned to act in,” drawing warm laughter from the crowd. “That fridge box was my Rosebud.”

Standing ovations were in full effect as Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler accepted the Academy Achievement Award. In addition to thanking Ivan Fecan for moving Degrassi into primetime, Schuyler also thanked several members of her immediate and extended family “for the shameless use of bits and pieces of your lives that have made it into our scripts.”

She also noted that 2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the very first episode of Degrassi hitting the air, as well as the 10th anniversary of Degrassi: The Next Generation.

Gemini host Art Hindle quipped, “I can’t wait for Degrassi: Retirement Home to be made – and you thought teenage sex was controversial.”

Degrassi:TNG also took home two awards, one for best direction in a children’s or youth program or series for Stefan “Snake” Brogren and another for Charlotte Arnold, who scored for best performance in a children’s or youth program or series.

The AV Trust’s MasterWorks Honouree of the night was Polka Dot Door for its cultural significance. The crowd rose to their feet when producers Ted Coneybeare and Jed McKay took to the stage with a joyous Polkaroo in full view.

The industry also gave a standing ovation to writer Donald Martin, recipient of the Margaret Collier Award, who thanked everyone who said no to him.

“Don’t let a ‘no’ define you,” he told the audience. “Turn it into a ‘yes.’”

Shaftesbury saw multiple wins, including best children’s or youth fiction program or series for Overruled!, best performance by an actress in a guest role, dramatic series for Tatiana Maslany in Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures, and best TV movie for She Drives Me Crazy.

The Tudors also scored a hat trick with best production design or art direction in a fiction program or series (Tom Conroy, Colman Corish), best costume design (Joan Bergin), and best original music score for a program or series (Trevor Morris).

And stop-motion series Glenn Martin, DDS from Cuppa Coffee Studios captured best animated program or series, and best direction in an animated program or series (Ken Cunningham).

For a recap of the first industry night, check here.

And for a full list of winners, head over to the Gemini site.