1st Genie Awards explained

Number:	1
Award:	Genie Awards
Date:	March 20, 1980
Site:	Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto
Host:	Bruno Gerussi Ben Wicks
Best Picture:	The Changeling
Most Nominations:	The Changeling
Last:	29th CFAs
Next:	2nd

The 1st Genie Awards were presented on March 20, 1980, and honoured films released in 1979.^[1]

Immediately after the 1978 Canadian Film Awards, which were nearly cancelled due to disputes and controversy, industry leaders met to design a new awards organization based on the academy system of industry nomination and secret ballot. Members of the Canadian Film Awards committee were skeptical about nominator qualifications, and about the motivations of those who wanted the academy system, fearing that they would imitate the American model and that big-budget commercial films would swamp Canadian films.^[2]

After a year of discussion, it was agreed that 14 members of the CFA committee and 14 elected representatives from industry organizations would form a board to oversee a new association whose mandate was to stimulate higher standards of filmmaking, foster educational service and develop public awareness of the industry. On April 11, 1979, the creation of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television was formally announced.^[3]

For the first time 500 filmmakers were responsible for nomination and voting. Films were screened for members in Montreal and Toronto and then chosen by secret nomination and final ballot before being submitted to an impartial accounting firm.^[4]

Ceremony

The first Genie Awards, as they were now known, were given out at a gala event at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto with actor Bruno Gerussi as host.^{[5] [6] [7]}

The show was broadcast live on CBC Television and was noted for its Oscars-like production design, with production numbers including a jazz dance performance by Jeff Hyslop and Karen Kain set to the tune of "Dancing in the Dark", and female impersonator Craig Russell in character as Judy Garland.^[8]

On March 19, cartoonist Ben Wicks hosted a luncheon for the 105 entrants in the non-feature categories.^[9] Also this year, on November 6, and under the administration of the academy, the Canadian Film Editors Guild, the Canadian Society of Cinematographers and the Canadian Film Sound Society hosted the 1980 Film Craft Awards.^[10]

Controversies

The event was not without controversy. Despite having duly released three nominations in the category of Editing in a Dramatic Film (Non-Feature), the jury used the moment of presentation to announce that they had deemed none worthy of an award. Producer Sam Levene, in his acceptance speech for another award, called the decision an "arrogant slap in the face" to the nominees. The fact that no French language films won any major awards was an issue. Award winner Christopher Plummer used his speech to criticize the distinction made between Canadian and foreign actors, calling on the academy to treat "Canadian or Samothracian" actors equally. The Foreign Actors categories were dropped in 1984.

Award winners and nominees

Films

Best Motion Picture	Outstanding Theatrical Short
The Changeling – Chessman Park Productions, Garth Drabinsky and Joel B. Michaels producers, Peter Medak director^[11] Cordélia – National Film Board of Canada, Jean-Marc Garand, Jacques Gagné and Roger Frappier producers, Jean-Marc Garand director^[12] Klondike Fever – CFI Investments, Gilbert W. Taylor and Harry Alan Towers) producers, Peter Carter director^[13] Meatballs – Famous Players, CFDC and Haliburton Films, Daniel Goldberg, John Dunning and André Link producers, Ivan Reitman director^[14] Running – CFDC, Robert M. Cooper, John M. Eckert and Ronald I. Cohen producers, Steven Hilliard Stern director^[15]	Nails – National Film Board of Canada and Mercury Pictures, Phillip Borsos producer and director^[16] Twice Upon a Time... (Il était deux fois) – National Film Board of Canada, Roman Kroitor and Stefan Wodoslawsky producers, Giles Walker director^[17] – Film Arts, Movement Films, Terry Burke and Don Haig producers, Terry Burke director^[18]
Outstanding Documentary 30 Minutes and Under	Outstanding Documentary 30 Minutes and Over
– National Film Board of Canada, Anne Wheeler and Tony Karch producers, Mark Dolgoy director^[19] It's Not an Illness – Claire Prieto producer, Roger McTair director Taking Chances – Mobius Productions, Marilyn Belec producer, Robert Lang director^[20]	– National Film Board of Canada, Donald Brittain and Marrin Canell producers, Donald Brittain director^[21] Cities: Glenn Gould's Toronto – John McGreevy Productions and Nielsen-Ferns International, John McGreevy and Pat Ferns producers, John McGreevy director^[22] Dieppe 1942 – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Terence Macartney-Filgate producer and director
Outstanding TV Drama 30 Minutes and Under	Outstanding TV Drama 30 Minutes and Over
Bravery in the Field – National Film Board of Canada, Roman Kroitor and Stefan Wodoslawsky producers, Giles Walker director^[23] Revolution's Orphans – National Film Board of Canada, Rob Iveson and Roman Kroitor producers, John N. Smith director^[24] The Spirit of the River to China – Barb Wiseberg and Barry Pearson producers	Certain Practices – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Bill Gough and Sam Levene producers For the Record "Every Person Is Guilty" – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Sam Levene and Vivienne Leebosh producers The Wordsmith – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Robert Sherrin and Robert Allen producers, Claude Jutra director
Outstanding Animation	Outstanding Independent Film
Every Child (Chaque enfant) – National Film Board of Canada, Derek Lamb producer, Eugene Fedorenko director^[25] Caninabis – National Film Board of Canada, Gaston Sarault producer, Kaj Pindal director^[26] Tukiki and His Search for a Merry Christmas – Atkinson Film-Arts, Titlecraft, Pooled Film Services, W.H. Stevens, Jr. and Beryl Friesen producers, Vic Atkinson director^[27]	– Film Arts and Movement Films, Don Haig and Terry Burke producers, Don Haig director Cities: Glenn Gould's Toronto – John McGreevy Productions, Nielsen-Ferns International, Pat Ferns and John McGreevy producers, John McGreevy director^[28] Tukiki and His Search for a Merry Christmas – Atkinson Film-Arts, Titlecraft, Pooled Film Services, W.H. Stevens, Jr. and Beryl Friesen producers, Vic Atkinson director

Feature film craft awards

Notes and References

1. [Jay Scott]
2. Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 117-199.
3. Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 117-199.
4. Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 117-199.
5. Web site: 1980 Genie Awards Program . archive.org . Archive.org . 25 March 2023.
6. Duart Snow, "Enter Genie, son of old Etrog". Ottawa Journal, March 15, 1980.
7. [Jay Scott]
8. Meg Floyd, "Jazzing up the Genies". The Globe and Mail, March 15, 1980.
9. Rick Groen, "NFB, Brittain dominate TV Genie awards". The Globe and Mail, March 20, 1980.
10. Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 117-199.
11. Web site: The Changeling . cfe.tiff.net . Canadian Film Encyclopedia . 25 March 2023.
12. Web site: Cordélia . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 27 March 2023.
13. Web site: Klondike Fever . https://web.archive.org/web/20181230061106/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b734e8b28 . dead . December 30, 2018 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 26 March 2023.
14. Web site: Meatballs . cfe.tiff.net . Canadian Film Encyclopedia . 25 March 2023.
15. Web site: Screen: 'Running,' Winning and Losing: Marathon Mania. Canby. Vincent. November 2, 1979. The New York Times. C7.
16. Web site: Nails . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 27 March 2023.
17. Web site: Twice Upon a Time... . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 27 March 2023.
18. Web site: Track stars, the unseen heroes of movie sound . worldcat.org . WorldCat . 26 March 2023.
19. Web site: Priory, the Only Home I've Got . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 27 March 2023.
20. Web site: Taking Chances . https://web.archive.org/web/20230326074017/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b776813b3 . dead . March 26, 2023 . bfi.org.uk . British Film Institute . 26 March 2023.
21. Web site: Paperland: The Bureaucrat Observed . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 27 March 2023.
22. Web site: Glenn Gould's Toronto . screenculture.org . CESIF . 25 March 2023.
23. Web site: Bravery in the Field . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 2 February 2023.
24. Web site: Revolution's Orphans . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 2 February 2023.
25. Web site: Chaque enfant . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 27 March 2023.
26. Web site: Caninabis . onf-nfb.gc.ca . National Film Board of Canada . 27 March 2023.
27. Web site: Tukiki and His Search for a Merry Christmas . kinorium.com . Kinorium . 26 March 2023.
28. Web site: Glenn Gould's Toronto 1979 . ocul-yor.primo.exlibrisgroup.com . York University . 26 March 2023.