9th Genie Awards

9th Genie Awards
DateMarch 22, 1988
SiteMetro Toronto Convention Centre
Toronto, Ontario
Hosted byMegan Follows, Gordon Pinsent
Highlights
Best PictureNight Zoo (Un zoo la nuit)
Most awardsNight Zoo (13)
Most nominationsNight Zoo (14)
Television coverage
NetworkCBC Television

The 9th annual Genie Awards were held March 22, 1988, and honoured Canadian films released in 1987.[1] The ceremony, which was broadcast live on CBC Television, was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and co-hosted by actors Megan Follows and Gordon Pinsent.[2]

This was the year in which, for the first time, all of the Best Motion Picture nominees had been written by their directors.[citation needed] The awards were dominated by Jean-Claude Lauzon's Night Zoo (Un zoo la nuit) which garnered 14 nominations and won an unmatched thirteen awards.[3] [4]

The other star of the night was Patricia Rozema's I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, which won in both of the female acting categories and was the only other narrative feature film besides Night Zoo to win any awards.[5] Sheila McCarthy, in her acceptance speech for Best Actress, quipped that "I'm really glad there are no nominations for actresses for Night Zoo."[6] McCarthy, who had just given birth to a daughter a few weeks earlier, was also presented with a miniaturized toy Genie statuette for her baby.[5]

The Special Achievement award was presented to Norman Jewison, for his work in establishing the Canadian Centre for Advanced Film Studies.[1]

  1. ^ a b Maria Topalovich, And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7737-3238-1.
  2. ^ Noel Taylor, "Genies: Deja vu waiting in wings". Ottawa Citizen, March 19, 1988.
  3. ^ "It was Un Zoo's night; Quebec film wins record 13 Genies". Montreal Gazette, March 23, 1988.
  4. ^ "Night Zoo thriller sets Genie record; Lauzon film wins 14 nominations". Ottawa Citizen, February 17, 1988.
  5. ^ a b Ina Warren, "Brutal thriller Night Zoo wins 13 Genie awards". Vancouver Sun, March 23, 1988.
  6. ^ "Thriller sweeps Genie ceremonies". Windsor Star, March 23, 1988.