Sarah Polley's "Away from Her" Wins 7 Genies; Ties with David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" for Most Awards

Canadian Writer-director Polley Takes Home Three Awards for Her Feature Film Directing Debut

Sarah Polley was the recipient of three Genie Awards for her film Away From Her, which won a total of seven Genies, the Canadian equivalent of the Oscar. David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises also won seven Genies, mostly in the technical categories. Polley, who earlier had been named the recipient of the Claude Jutra Award as the outstanding director of a first film, won a Genie for Best Adapted Screenplay and beat Cronenberg for the Best Director award.

The awards ceremony, which was held on March 3, 2008 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center with actress Sandra Oh as master of ceremonies, was not without controversy. Cando-American director Jason Reitman had issued a statement criticizing the fact that his film Juno , which featured Canadian actors and was shot by a Canadian crew in Canada, did not qualify for Genie nominations. (The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television said that Juno, which was financed by an American film studio, was not submitted for Genie Award consideration.) And a bill that would put restrictions on the funding of Canadian film and TV was denounced by Oh and Genie Award presenters and winners.

Juno star Ellen Page, Oscar-nominated for her role in Reitman's film, was nominated as Best Actress for her lead in The Tracey Fragments, a film that wound up with six Genie nominations, including best director but no awards. Page lost out to Julie Christie, who was part of the Away From Her sweep of the major awards. In addition to Polley's three personal gongs, Away From Her won the Genie for best picture, Best Actor (Gordon Pinsent), Best Actress (Julie Christie) and Best Supporting Actress (Kristen Thomson). Both Polley and Christie had been nominated for Oscars by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.

Accepting the Best Director Genie, Sarah Polley said, "The ridiculousness of me winning in this category is not lost on me." She then saluted fellow directing nominees Cronenberg, Denys Arcand, Roger Spottiswoode and Bruce McDonald.