UNO News Net: GENIE AWARDS 2012: ‘Café de Flore’ and ‘A Dangerous Method’ lead Genie Awards race

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

GENIE AWARDS 2012: ‘Café de Flore’ and ‘A Dangerous Method’ lead Genie Awards race

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Vanessa Paradis and Marin Gerrier play mother and son in Cafe de Flor.

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The story of the love between a man and a woman and a mother and son, and a drama about the birth of psychiatry are neck-and-neck in the Genie Awards race.
Jean-Marc Vallee’s Café de Flore (now showing in Toronto at the Cumberland and The Fox) netted 13 nominations, including Best Motion Picture, while David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method (opened in theatres across Canada on Jan. 13) had 11 nominations, also including Best Motion Picture.
Both were also nominated for Achievement in Direction.
The 32nd Genie Award nominations for the best in Canadian film were announced in Toronto Tuesday morning.
Rounding out the Best Picture race is Canada’s entry in this year’s Oscar race, Monsieur Lazhar (opening in Toronto and Vancouver on Jan. 27), the Quebec comedy Starbuck and drama The Whistleblower.
Monsieur Lazhar director Philippe Falardeau, The Bang Bang Club’s Steven Silver and The Whistleblower’s Larysa Kondracki were also nominated for Achievement in Direction.
The Bang Bang Club¸ Starbuck and Daydream Nation are currently available on DVD, while The Whistleblower will be available on DVD and Rogers on Demand on Jan. 24.
The Genie Awards will be broadcast March 8 at 8 p.m. on CBC television.
Helga Stephenson, interim CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television called 2011 “truly a vintage year for Canadian film.
“Between our master filmmakers and a whole bunch of new filmmakers that are coming on stream, there’s fantastic talent and it’s obviously a fantastic beacon for the future. We’re going to have great films for a long time to come,” Stephenson said.
Martin Katz, producer of A Dangerous Method, expressed his pleasure at the film’s 11 nominations.
“We’re delighted that in every category of craft, the film’s been recognized by the Genies as it has ... around the world,” Katz said.
“I think it’s a sign of maturity that so many international stars are ready to participate in (Canadian) films. It’s only good news that there are brilliant international stars who are participating (in works) written, directed and created by Canadians. And I think it’s great for Canadian actors to get a chance to play with those people,” Katz said.
Katz called the calibre of films in 2011 “a great testament to the strength of the industry now.”
Actor Kevin Durand, who was nominated for best supporting actor for his performance in Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster (opening spring 2012) as “the greatest honour that I’ve received so far and I’m so thankful for it and humbled by it.
“In terms of Canadian film, I think we’re in such a great spot. So many established filmmakers and upcoming filmmakers are really stepping out to the world and making film that’s resonating on a global stage. So it’s a really exciting time and exciting to be part of that,” Durand said.
Other nominees currently available on DVD or iTunes include Snow & Ashes, BumRush, Jaloux, Marecages/Wetlands, Oliver Sherman and The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom. Afghan Luke will be available on DVD on Jan. 23.
The nominees:
Best picture: A Dangerous Method, Cafe de Flore, Monsieur Lazhar, Starbuck, The Whistleblower.
Best director: David Cronenberg, A Dangerous Method; Steven Silver, The Bang Bang Club; Jean-Marc Vallee, Cafe de Flore; Philippe Falardeau, Monsieur Lazhar; Larysa Kondracki, The Whistleblower.
Best actor: Mohamed Fellag, Monsieur Lazhar; Garret Dillahunt, Oliver Sherman; Michael Fassbender, A Dangerous Method; Patrick Huard, Starbuck; and Scott Speedman, Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster.
Best supporting actor: Antoine Bertrand, Starbuck; Kevin Durand, Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster; Marin Gerrier, Café de Flore; Taylor Kitsch, The Bang Bang Club; Viggo Mortensen A Dangerous Method.
Best actress: Catherine de Lean, Nuit #1; Pascale Montpetit, The Girl in the White Coat; Vanessa Paradis, Café de Flore; Rachel Weisz, The Whistleblower; Michelle Williams, Take This Waltz.
Best supporting actress: Roxana Condurache, The Whistleblower; Helene Florent, Café de Flore; Julie LeBreton, Starbuck; Sophie Nelisse, Monsieur Lazhar; Charlotte Sullivan, Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster.
Best original screenplay: Anne Emond, Nuit #1; Eilis Kirwan, Larysa Kondracki, The Whistleblower; Ken Scott, Martin Petit Starbuck; Jean-Marc Vallee, Café de Flore; Ryan Ward, Matthew Heiti, Son of the Sunshine.
Best adapted screenplay: Philippe Falardeau, Monsieur Lazhar; Ryan Redford, Oliver Sherman; David Shamoon, In Darkness; Steven Silver, The Bang Bang Club.
Best feature length documentary: Beauty Day, Family Portrait In Black and White, The Guantanamo Trap, At Night, They Dance, Wiebo’s War.