TORONTO - "Polytechnique," Denis Villeneuve's haunting black-and-white rendering of the Montreal massacre, swept the big film prizes at the Genie Awards on Monday night, but it was lingering controversy over Quebec phenom Xavier Dolan's exclusion from competition that dominated chatter backstage.
Villeneuve's widely acclaimed retelling of the 1989 shooting collected trophies for best film, director and screenplay, winning in nine of the 11 categories in which it was nominated and bringing Villeneuve his second directing Genie, after 2000's "Maelstrom."
"I was not making this film for awards or the Cannes (International) Film Festival or film festivals," Villeneuve said backstage.
"It was for people from my country. It was for me, a deep human and cinematographic experience and I felt a heavy responsibility in each shot."
Star wattage at the awards show came by way of former "Dawson's Creek" star Joshua Jackson, who was named best actor for his portrayal of a terminally ill man in "One Week," while Kari Skogland's IRA thriller "Fifty Dead Men Walking" earned best adapted screenplay.
But Dolan was conspicuously absent when it came time for him to accept the Claude Jutra Award, presented annually to a first-time filmmaker.
Kevin Tierney, vice president of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, accepted it on his behalf, revealing disappointment in the lack of Dolan nominations backstage as he charged that Dolan had been relegated to the "kiddie table."
"If you're going to give this one the best first film, how do you give another first film 11 nominations or (whatever)?" said Tierney, apparently referring to Charles Officer's "Nurse.Fighter.Boy," which had 10 nominations.
"There's something slightly preposterous (there)."
Dolan wrote, directed and starred in "I Killed My Mother," which earned three prizes at the Cannes International Film Festival, was named Canada's submission to the Oscars for best foreign-language film, and dominated last month's Jutra Awards in Quebec, where it was named best film, best screenplay and best actress.
"Why isn't ('I Killed My Mother') in every category?" actress Martha Burns said unprompted backstage while speaking about her supporting actress win for "Love & Savagery. "I'm sorry that Xavier isn't here."
"I think it's sad," Patrick Roy of Alliance Films added backstage after accepting the Golden Reel Award for "De pere en flic" ("Father and Guns").
"I think Xavier did a great film and he should have been here with us tonight with many nominations."
Other multiple winners were "Fifty Dead Men Walking," which also won best art direction, and the Quebec fantasy, "Grande Ourse: La Cle des possibles" ("The Master Key"), which earned best make-up and best original score.
The urban mother-son tale "Nurse.Fighter.Boy" won just one of its 10 nominations, for best song, while the Inuit survival story "Before Tomorrow," snagged best costume design after receiving nods in nine categories.
Meanwhile, "The Cat Came Back" animator Cordell Barker earned a Genie for his third NFB short, "Runaway."
Monday's televised gala also marked the Genies' 30th anniversary and featured a look back at its history with a video tribute.
"Polytechnique" stars Karine Vanasse in a stark look at one of Canada's darkest days, and was filmed in both English and French. Earlier this year it won the $10,000 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award from the Toronto Film Critics Association.
- Best Film: "Polytechnique"
- Best Art Direction: Eve Stewart, "Fifty Dead Men Walking"
- Best Costume Design: Atuat Akittirq, "Before Tomorrow"
- Best Cinematography: Pierre Gill, "Polytechnique"
- Best Direction: Denis Villeneuve, "Polytechnique"
- Best Editing: Richard Comeau, "Polytechnique"
- Best Actor: Joshua Jackson, "One Week"
- Best Actress: Karine Vanasse, "Polytechnique"
- Best Supporting Actor: Maxim Gaudette, "Polytechnique"
- Best Supporting Actress: Martha Burns, "Love & Savagery"
- Best Sound: Stephane Bergeron, Pierre Blain, Jo Caron, Benoit Leduc, "Polytechnique"
- Best Original Screenplay: Jacques Davidts, "Polytechnique"
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Kari Skogland, "Fifty Dead Men Walking"
- Best Feature Documentary: Alan Zweig, Kristina McLaughlin, Michael McMahon, "A Hard Name"
- Best Animated Short: Cordell Barker, Mazur, Michael Scott "Runaway"
