Awards News: the 12th annual Jutra Awards

When the nominations for the 12th annual (Jutra Awards) for Quebec cinema were announced on February 16th, some felt that J'ai tué ma mère (I Killed My Mother) was somewhat snubbed, only receiving 5 nominations. This feeling only intensified when two weeks later on March 1st, the Genie Award nominations (for Canadian cinema) shut out entirely, although it will be receiving the non-competitive Claude Jutra Award at the Genies for outstanding first-time filmmaker. It received some vindication when the Jutras were handed out at Tohu in Montreal on Sunday, March 28 by winning three of its five nominations, including Best Film. It also took the prize for Most Successful Film Outside Quebec.

Dolan was very gracious in accepting the his awards. He said, "I'd like to thank my mother, with whom I share a very different love story ... thank you to my mother, for her free and loving education. Thank you to my mother, for being my mother."

Polytechnique took more prizes, however, coming away with five awards including Best Director. This powerful look at the tragic events at Montreal's École Polytechnique was devastating yet miraculously uplifting, and I selected it for my personal top ten list of 2009.

The biopic Dédé à travers les brumes (Dédé Through the Mists) led with 10 nominations, and came away with four awards including Best Actor. The Best Documentary winner was the outstanding Last Train Home, which examines the difficulties faced by Chinese migrant workers.

---
Complete list of 12th annual Jutra Award winners:

Best film
J'ai tué ma mère

Best director
Denis Villeneuve for Polytechnique

Best actress
Anne Dorval for J'ai tué ma mère

Best actor
Sébastien Ricard for Dédé à travers les brumes

Best supporting actress
Sandrine Bisson for 1981

Best supporting actor
Maxim Gaudette for Polytechnique

Best animated film
Robe de guerre by Michèle Cournoyer

Best short film
Danse Macabre

Best documentary film
Last Train Home

Best screenplay
Xavier Dolan for J'ai tué ma mère

Best cinematography
Pierre Gill for Polytechnique

Best music
Dédé à travers les brumes

Best costumes
Judy Jonker for Dédé à travers les brumes

Best editing
Richard Comeau for Polytechnique

Art direction
David Pelletier for Dédé à travers les brumes

Best sound
Pierre Blain, Claude Beaugrand, Stephane Bergeron for Polytechnique

Best makeup
Colleen Quinton for Cadavres

Best hairdressing
Linda Gordon for 1981

Most successful film outside Quebec
J'ai tué ma mère

Le billet d'or (for box office performance)
De père en flic