The Genie Awards are upon us, and once again they raise the question of what, exactly, is a Canadian film.
Jean-Marc Vallée’s C.R.A.Z.Y., a coming-of-age story set in 1960s and 1970s Quebec that leads the pack with 12 nominations in 11 categories, certainly qualifies. But what about Deepa Mehta’s Water (my review), with nine nominations, which takes place entirely in 1930s India? Or what about Michael Dowse’s It’s All Gone Pete Tong, with eight nominations, which concerns a successful British DJ who lives in Spain and loses his hearing?
Meanwhile, Genie stalwart Atom Egoyan’s Where the Truth Lies, which concerns a Hollywood scandal but was co-produced by Canadian companies and/or agencies, is nominated for five awards, while fellow Genie stalwart David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence, which also concerns American characters but was financed entirely by an American studio, was shut out completely.
FWIW, I’ve seen all of those films except for C.R.A.Z.Y. The other nominated films that I have seen include: Saint Ralph, which has five nominations in four categories; See Grace Fly, which scored a nomination for Vancouverite Gina Chiarelli; and ScaredSacred, which is one of two films nominated for best documentary.
No word yet on which film will win the Golden Reel Award, which goes to the Canadian movie that made the most money within a given 12-month period. (Yes, this award really exists.)
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