27th Canadian Film Awards explained

27th Canadian Film Awards
Date:	October 21, 1976
Location:	CFTO-DT Studios, Scarborough
Host:	Lorne Greene
Most Nominations:	Lies My Father Told Me
Award1 Type:	Best Motion Picture
Award1 Winner:	Lies My Father Told Me
Previous:	26th
Main:	Canadian Film Awards
Next:	28th

The 27th Canadian Film Awards were held on October 24, 1976 to honour achievements in Canadian film. The ceremony was hosted by Lorne Greene, and was held at the conclusion of the inaugural 1976 Festival of Festivals.^[1]

Due to ongoing issues with Quebec filmmakers, the CFA's receipt of its annual government grant was made contingent upon the reaching of a compromise by the two groups. It was eventually agreed that the two sides would take turns hosting the awards.

To shore up public support, there was an increased PR campaign and CTV aired a one-hour broadcast of the awards ceremony. After pre-selection, the total submissions to the jury were 171 films, including 17 features and 76 documentaries.

After much discussion about whether or not to add a commercial-value award, the CFAs introduced the Golden Reel Award, presented to the year's top-grossing Canadian film.^[2]

Winners

Films

• Best Feature Film

Lies My Father Told Me — Pentimento Productions and Pentacle VIII Productions, Harry Gulkin and Anthony Bedrich producers, Ján Kadár director^[3]

• Best Theatrical Documentary: — Productions Via le Monde, François Floquet, Daniel Bertolino producers and directors^[4]
• Best Documentary: — National Film Board of Canada, Donald Brittain and Robert Duncan producers, Donald Brittain and John Kramer directors^[5]
• Best Theatrical Short: Cooperage — Rocky Mountain Films, Phillip Borsos producer and director^[6]
• Best Animated Short: The Street — National Film Board of Canada, Guy Glover producer, Caroline Leaf director^[7]
• Best Arts and Experimental: Barbara Is a Vision of Loveliness — Lightworks, R. Bruce Elder producer and director^[8]
• Best TV Drama: For Gentlemen Only — National Film Board of Canada, Vladimir Valenta producer, Michael Scott director^[9]

Feature Film Craft Awards

• Best Performance by a Lead Actor: André Melançon - Partis pour la gloire (Bound for Glory) (NFB)^[10]
• Best Performance by a Lead Actress: Marilyn Lightstone - Lies My Father Told Me
• Best Supporting Actor: Frank Moore - The Far Shore (Onyx Films)^[11]
• Best Supporting Actress: Tedde Moore - Second Wind (Olympic Films)^[12]
• Best Art Direction: Anne Pritchard - The Far Shore
• Best Cinematography: Richard Leiterman - The Far Shore
• Best Direction: Harvey Hart - Goldenrod (Film Funding International, Talent Associates)^[13]
• Best Film Editing: Donald Shebib - Second Wind (Olympic Films)
• Best Sound Editing: Maurice Schell - Lies My Father Told Me
• Best Music Score: Lewis Furey - La tête de Normande St-Onge (Normande) (Cinépix/Productions Carle-Lamy)^[14]
• Best Original Screenplay: Not awarded
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Ted Allan - Lies My Father Told Me
• Best Overall Sound: Henri Blondeau (recording), Richard Voriser and Stephen Dalby (re-recording) - Lies My Father Told Me

Non-Feature Craft Awards

• Performance by a Lead Actor: Ed McNamara and Hugh Webster - For Gentlemen Only (NFB)^[15]
• Performance by a Lead Actress: Luce Guilbeault - Bargain Basement (NFB)^[16]
• Supporting Actor or Actress: David Gardner - The Insurance Man from Ingersoll (CBC)^[17]
• Art Direction: Not awarded
• Cinematography: Robert Ryan - Killers of the Wild (Superstar International)^[18]
• Direction: Donald Brittain and John Kramer -
• Film Editing: John Kramer -
• Sound Editing: Les Halman and Abbey Neidik -
• Music Score: Alain Clavier -
• Screenplay: David King - For Gentlemen Only
• Non-Dramatic Script: Donald Brittain and John Kramer -
• Sound Recording: Roland Martel and Carle Delaroche-Vernet -
• Sound Re-Recording: Joe Grimaldi and Austin Grimaldi - The Last Cause (Sandy McLeod Productions)^[19]

Special Awards

• The Last Cause, Sandy McLeod Productions, William Brennan producer - "for its monumental compilation of historic footage".
• Dennis Zahoruk - for his first feature film, Brethren.
• Golden Reel Award: Lies My Father Told Me, Harry Gulkin and Anthony Bedrich producers, "for highest-grossing film".
• Wendy Michener Award

Caroline Leaf - "for her contribution to the art of animation" in The Street.

• John Grierson Award

Tom Daly - "for outstanding contributions to Canadian cinema".

Notes and References

1. Sid Adilman, "'Lies' takes top prizes at Film Awards". Toronto Star, October 25, 1976.
2. Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 111-114.
3. Web site: Lies My Father Told Me . https://web.archive.org/web/20201022094453/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6aed275b . dead . October 22, 2020 . bfi.org.uk . British Screen Institute . 19 March 2023.
4. Web site: AHÔ... Au coeur du monde primitif . cinematheque.qc.ca . Cinémathèque . 19 March 2023.
5. Web site: Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 19 March 2023.
6. Web site: Cooperage . https://web.archive.org/web/20230319161625/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7049e918 . dead . March 19, 2023 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 19 March 2023.
7. Web site: The Street . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 19 March 2023.
8. Web site: Barbara is a Vision of Loveliness . rbruceelder.com . R. Bruce Elder . 19 March 2023.
9. Web site: For Gentlemen Only . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 2 February 2023.
10. Web site: Partis pour la gloire . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 19 March 2023.
11. Web site: Sloan . Johanne . The Far Shore (1976) . aci-iac.ca . Art Canada Institute . 26 March 2023.
12. Web site: Second Wind . https://web.archive.org/web/20211128004636/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7689425a . dead . November 28, 2021 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 26 March 2023.
13. Web site: Goldenrod . https://web.archive.org/web/20190505123629/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b71fdfdc9 . dead . May 5, 2019 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 26 March 2023.
14. Web site: Tête de Normande St-Onge, La – Film de Gilles Carle . filmsquebec.com . Films du Québec . 26 March 2023.
15. Web site: For Gentlemen Only . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 30 March 2023.
16. Web site: Bargain Basement . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 2 February 2023.
17. Web site: The Insurance Man from Ingersoll . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111212116/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b72dbc202 . dead . January 11, 2023 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 19 March 2023.
18. Web site: Killers of the Wild . https://web.archive.org/web/20230319161613/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6be35856 . dead . March 19, 2023 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 19 March 2023.
19. Web site: The Last Cause . https://web.archive.org/web/20230319161636/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b737735a5 . dead . March 19, 2023 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 19 March 2023.