1st Genie Awards
{{Short description|1980 Canadian film awards}}
{{Primary sources|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox film awards
| number = 1
| award = Genie Awards
| date = March 20, 1980
| site = Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto
| host = Bruno Gerussi
Ben Wicks
| best_picture = The Changeling
| most_wins =
| most_nominations = The Changeling
| network =
| last = 29th CFAs
| next = 2nd
}}
The 1st Genie Awards were presented on March 20, 1980, and honoured films released in 1979.Jay Scott, "Changeling wins Genie as year's best movie". The Globe and Mail, March 21, 1980.
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.Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. {{ISBN|0-7737-3238-1}}. pp. 117-199.
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.Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. {{ISBN|0-7737-3238-1}}. pp. 117-199.
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.Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. {{ISBN|0-7737-3238-1}}. pp. 117-199.
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.{{cite web |title=1980 Genie Awards Program |url=https://archive.org/details/genieawardsprogr0000unse/page/40/mode/2up |website=archive.org |publisher=Archive.org |access-date=25 March 2023}}Duart Snow, "Enter Genie, son of old Etrog". Ottawa Journal, March 15, 1980.Jay Scott, "Changeling leads Canadian Film Award nominees". The Globe and Mail, February 8, 1980.
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.Meg Floyd, "Jazzing up the Genies". The Globe and Mail, March 15, 1980.
On March 19, cartoonist Ben Wicks hosted a luncheon for the 105 entrants in the non-feature categories.Rick Groen, "NFB, Brittain dominate TV Genie awards". The Globe and Mail, March 20, 1980. 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.Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. {{ISBN|0-7737-3238-1}}. pp. 117-199.
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=
=Feature film craft awards=
| class=wikitable width="100%" |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role |
|---|
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" | |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Performance by a Foreign Actor
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Performance by a Foreign Actress |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" | |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Achievement in Art Direction
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Achievement in Cinematography
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Achievement in Direction |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Achievement in Film Editing
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Achievement in Sound Editing |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Achievement in Sound
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Original Music Score |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" | |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Original Screenplay
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
=Non-feature craft awards=
| class=wikitable width="100%" |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Performance by an Actor
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Performance by an Actress |
|---|
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Cinematography in a Dramatic Film
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Cinematography in a Documentary |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Direction in a Dramatic Film
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Direction in a Documentary |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" | |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Art Direction
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Editing in Documentary |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Editing in a Dramatic Film
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Sound in a Non-Feature Film |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" |
|
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Screenplay
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Non-Dramatic Script |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" | |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Outstanding Original Music Score
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Golden Reel Award |
valign="top" |
| valign="top" | |
| style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | Special Awards
! style="background:#EEDD82; width:50%" | |
valign="top" |
|
References
{{reflist}}
{{Genie Awards}}