| 2nd Genie Awards | |
|---|---|
| Date | March 12, 1981 |
| Site | Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto |
| Hosted by | Brian Linehan |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Les bons débarras (Good Riddance) |
| Most awards | Les bons débarras (Good Riddance) (8) |
| Most nominations | Les bons débarras (Good Riddance) Tribute |
| Television coverage | |
| Network | CBC Television |
The 2nd Genie Awards were held March 12, 1981, honouring Canadian films released in 1980.[1] The ceremony, which was broadcast live by the CBC, was held at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and was hosted by television host Brian Linehan.[2]
The most notable sight of the evening was Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau escorting starlet Kim Cattrall;[2] the moment received renewed media attention in March 2016 when 60 Minutes, in a profile of Justin Trudeau, ran a photo of the appearance while mis-identifying Cattrall as Margaret Trudeau.[3]
The films Good Riddance (Les Bons débarras) nd Tribute tied for the most nominations overall.[1] Les bons débarras won most of the major awards, including Best Picture.[2]
For the first time, screenings for academy members were held in western Canada, in Edmonton and Vancouver. Later in the year the Academy of Canadian Cinema held the Bijou Awards, a one-time ceremony to honour non-feature and non-theatrical films, and to present some of the specialized categories that had been dropped from the Genies in their transition from the Canadian Film Awards.[4]