Sarah Polley’s directorial debut Away from Her is up for seven Genie Awards this year in the following categories…
* Best Picture
* Best Director (Sarah Polley)
* Best Actor in a Leading Role (Gordon Pinsent)
* Best Actress in a Leading Role (Julie Christie)
* Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Kristen Thompson)
* Best Editing (David Wharnsby)
* Best Adapted Screenplay (Sarah Polley)
The winners of the special awards — the Golden Reel Award (presented to the Canadian film with the highest box office gross) and the Claude Jutra Award (presented to a first-time director) — have not been announced yet. The Genies will be handed out on March 3 in Toronto. Right now it is unknown whether or not it will be televised.
Genie Awards
…Julie Christie, for her performance in Sarah Polley’s Away from Her.
Congratulations!
SAG Awards ~ Complete List of Winners
Youtube: Julie Christie’s acceptance speech
In June, Anne of Green Gables will mark its centennial. However, celebrations are starting this month on Prince Edward Island.
Throughout this month, and during the beginning of next, illustrated lectures about “The Architecture of Anne’s Land” have been given at various locations throughout the Island. These will wrap up on February 7. Most of the other Island commemorations will take place starting in the spring, culminating in a special party at Green Gables on what would be Maud’s 134th birthday.
Other commemorative acts will inclue the issuing of collectors’ stamps by Canada Post, which will happen on the anniversary of the book’s publication, on June 20. Penguin Canada will publish a special commemorative edition of Anne of Green Gables along with Budge Wilson’s prequel novel Before Green Gables this spring. CTV will air Sullivan’s prequel miniseries Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning. Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery co-editor Mary Rubio will publish her biography of LMM this year; and University of PEI Professor Elizabeth Epperly’s book Imagining Anne: The Island Scrapbooks will be released next month.
Toronto Star: Anne of Green Gables Turns 100
Anne 2008
Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning
As many film critics and columnists predicted, Julie Christie is among the Oscar nominees for Best Actress for her role in Away from Her.
However, she is not the only one up for an award. Sarah Polley herself is up for Best Adapted Screenplay, for her adaption of Alice Munroe’s short story The Bear Came Over the Mountain. Sarah is the first main Road to Avonlea cast member to receive an Oscar nomination.
The Academy Awards will be handed out on February 24 on ABC. Whether or not it will be a full-on gala or something watered down a la this year’s Golden Globes is yet to be seen.
UPDATE! (Jan. 23): Variety has reactions from both nominees. Here’s what Sarah had to say…
“I’m in total disbelief. I’m thrilled but kind of in shock too. It’s been such a strange year and I’m bowled over by the life of the film. It’s more than I could have ever hoped. This now adds a very surreal element to it.”
And an excerpt from Julie Christie’s response…
“What’s most gratifying to me is Sarah Polley getting a nomination for screenplay adaptation. I was afraid she wouldn’t be recognized. I wondered if they were going to get this great piece of work. I’m very glad I did it because it’s a terribly important issue. We’ve got to face the fact that we’re living longer. This is the comeuppance of wishing for immortality. . . .”
Nominees for the 80th Annual Academy Awards
Variety
Away from Her is one of the nominees for Best Film at the first ever Canadian Indie Awards. Also nominated is the CBC miniseries October 1970 for, well, Best Miniseries (it featured RH Thomson).
Created by the CFTPA, the Canadian Indie Awards’ purpose is to honour independent producers within the country. They will be handed out at a gala February 20 in Ottawa. It will not be televised.
CFTPA Press Release
