Our first multiplex, 1980

From the Googled archives of the Ottawa Citizen comes staff writer Tim Harper's June 1980 article citing a unionized movie projectionists strike here in Ottawa that summer. You can find the full piece at http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Wu8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f-4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=977,123282&dq=mayfair+theater+ottawa&hl=en. What's really worth sharing is this great featured photo of the Elgin Theatre's old facade. Sure, its big orange letters are still there but the theatres and marquee are long gone and mostly forgotten.

The Elgin (1937-1994) became Ottawa's first multiplex movie theatre in 1947 when owner Nathan "Nat" Taylor (1905-2004) added a second screen inside, called the Little Elgin, and sold tickets to both through the same box office. Two years later in 1949, the Little Elgin hosted the inaugural Canadian Film Awards, the precursor to the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's annual Genie Awards.

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It started at the movies

As part of Ottawa's 2012 launch of Black History Month on Saturday, Jan. 28 at City Hall, Canada Post will unveil a new stamp commemorating Viola Desmond (1914-1965). Desmond was a Halifax business co-owner when she was arrested in nearby New Glasgow, Nova Scotia's Roseland Theatre in 1946 for not giving up her seat. By comparison, famed American "first lady of civil rights" Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on a Mongomery, Alabama bus in 1955.

The Black History Canada website (http://blackhistorycanada.ca/profiles.php?themeid=20&id=13) recounts Viola Desmond's story, "In New Glasgow, Desmond developed car trouble and decided to go to the movies while repairs were made. She bought a ticket, entered the theatre and took a seat on the main floor, unaware that tickets sold to African Canadians in this town were for the balcony and the main floor was reserved solely for White patrons. Theatre staff demanded that she go to the balcony, but she refused, since she could see better from the main floor. The police were summoned immediately and she was dragged out, which injured her hip. She was charged and held overnight in jail; she was not advised of her rights."

Desmond fought against the charges against her, and would go on to fight Nova Scotia's segregation laws until they were finally repealed in 1954. However, in checking out Desmond's commemorative stamp and bio at the Canada Post site (http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/collecting/stamps/2012/2012_feb_john_ware_viola_desmond.jsf), it was only in 2010 that "the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia invoked the Royal Prerogative and granted Desmond a posthumous pardon, the first such to be granted in Canada, and the government of Nova Scotia formally apologized." 64 years later.

Find out more about this and other 2012 Black History Month events in Ottawa at http://www.blackhistoryottawa.org/welcome.php?pid=133&lang=en

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Academy names Genie noms

Here's some good news: The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television has just announced the nominees for this year's annual Genie Awards. 

According to today's press release from the academy, "The 32nd ANNUAL GENIE AWARDS will be broadcast on Thursday, March 8 at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT) on CBC Television. Genie32 will be held at The Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto."

Too bad about that last part, it was fun having the Genies hosted here in Ottawa last year. However, you can find out more about the academy - and the Genie Awards - at http://www.genieawards.ca/genie32/main.cfm and here's the nom list:


BEST MOTION PICTURE / MEILLEUR FILM
A DANGEROUS METHOD - Martin Katz, Marco Mehlitz, Jeremy Thomas
CAFÉ DE FLORE - Pierre Even, Marie-Claude Poulin, Jean-Marc Vallée
MONSIEUR LAZHAR - Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
STARBUCK - André Rouleau
THE WHISTLEBLOWER - Christina Piovesan, Celine Rattray

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN / MEILLEURE DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE
JEAN BÉCOTTE - Funkytown
AIDAN LEROUX, ROB HEPBURN - Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster
JAMES MCATEER - A Dangerous Method
PATRICE VERMETTE - Café de Flore
EMELIA WEAVIND - The Bang Bang Club

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY / MEILLEURES IMAGES
MIROSLAW BASZAK, C.S.C. - The Bang Bang Club
PIERRE COTTEREAU - Café de Flore
JON JOFFIN - Daydream Nation
JEAN-FRANÇOIS LORD - Snow & Ashes
RONALD PLANTE - Monsieur Lazhar

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN / MEILLEURS COSTUMES
DENISE CRONENBERG - A Dangerous Method
FARNAZ KHAKI-SADIGH - Afghan Luke
GINETTE MAGNY, EMMANUELLE YOUCHNOVSKI - Café de Flore
HEATHER NEALE - Keyhole
MARIE-CHANTALE VAILLANCOURT - Funkytown

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION / MEILLEURE RÉALISATION
DAVID CRONENBERG - A Dangerous Method
STEVEN SILVER - The Bang Bang Club
JEAN-MARC VALLÉE - Café de Flore
PHILIPPE FALARDEAU - Monsieur Lazhar
LARYSA KONDRACKI - The Whistleblower

ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING / MEILLEUR MONTAGE
JEAN-FRANÇOIS BERGERON - The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom
MICHAEL CZARNECKI - In Darkness
PATRICK DEMERS - Jaloux
STÉPHANE LAFLEUR - Monsieur Lazhar
RONALD SANDERS, C.C.E. A.C.E. - A Dangerous Method

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP / MEILLEURS MAQUILLAGES
CHRISTIANE FATTORI, FRÉDÉRIC MARIN - Café de Flore
AMBER MAKAR - Amazon Falls
VIRGINIE PARÉ - BumRush
TAMMY LOU PATE - Snow & Ashes
LESLIE ANN SEBERT, DAVID R. BEECROFT - Take This Waltz

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SCORE / MEILLEURE MUSIQUE ORIGINALE
RAMACHANDRA BORCAR - Jaloux
MYCHAEL DANNA - The Whistleblower
MARTIN LÉON - Monsieur Lazhar
PHILIP MILLER - The Bang Bang Club
HOWARD SHORE - A Dangerous Method

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC - ORIGINAL SONG / MEILLEURE CHANSON ORIGINALE
JAY BRANNAN - Cloudburst - My Love My Love
CAROLE FACAL - Starbuck - Quelque part
MALAJUBE - Good Neighbours - Oeil pour Oeil
STEVEN PAGE - French Immersion - A Different Sort of Solitude
JEAN ROBITAILLE, STEVE GALLUCCIO - Funkytown - Waiting for your Touch

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION MASCULINE DANS UN PREMIER RÔLE
FELLAG - Monsieur Lazhar
GARRET DILLAHUNT - Oliver Sherman
MICHAEL FASSBENDER - A Dangerous Method
PATRICK HUARD - Starbuck
SCOTT SPEEDMAN - Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION MASCULINE DANS UN RÔLE DE SOUTIEN
ANTOINE BERTRAND - Starbuck
KEVIN DURAND - Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster
MARIN GERRIER - Café de Flore
TAYLOR KITSCH - The Bang Bang Club
VIGGO MORTENSEN - A Dangerous Method

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION FÉMININE DANS UN PREMIER RÔLE
CATHERINE DE LÉAN - Nuit #1
PASCALE MONTPETIT - The Girl in the White Coat
VANESSA PARADIS - Café de Flore
RACHEL WEISZ - The Whistleblower
MICHELLE WILLIAMS - Take This Waltz

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION FÉMININE DANS UN RÔLE DE SOUTIEN
ROXANA CONDURACHE - The Whistleblower
HÉLÈNE FLORENT - Café de Flore
JULIE LEBRETON - Starbuck
SOPHIE NÉLISSE - Monsieur Lazhar
CHARLOTTE SULLIVAN - Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster

ACHIEVEMENT IN OVERALL SOUND / MEILLEUR SON D'ENSEMBLE
STÉPHANE BERGERON, YANN CLEARY, LISE WEDLOCK - Marécages / Wetlands
PIERRE BERTRAND, SHAUN NICHOLAS GALLAGHER, BERNARD GARIÉPY STROBL - Monsieur Lazhar
JEAN MINONDO, JOCELYN CARON, GAVIN FERNANDES, LOUIS GIGNAC - Café de Flore
LOU SOLAKOFSKI, STEPHAN CARRIER, KIRK LYNDS - The Bang Bang Club
OREST SUSHKO, CHRISTIAN COOKE - A Dangerous Method

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING / MEILLEUR MONTAGE SONORE
FRED BRENNAN, JAMES BASTABLE, GABE KNOX, JOHN SIEVERT - You Are Here
CLAUDE BEAUGRAND, OLIVIER CALVERT, NATALIE FLEURANT, FRANCINE POIRIER - Marécages / Wetlands
WAYNE GRIFFIN, ROB BERTOLA, TONY CURRIE, ANDY MALCOLM, MICHAEL O'FARRELL - A Dangerous Method
MARTIN PINSONNAULT, BLAISE BLANCHIER, SIMON MEILLEUR, MIREILLE MORIN, LUC RAYMOND - Café de Flore
JEREMY MACLAVERTY, DANIEL PELLERIN, GEOFF RAFFAN, JAN RUDY, JOHN SIEVERT, JAMES MARK STEWART - In Darkness

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY / MEILLEUR SCÉNARIO
ANNE ÉMOND - Nuit #1
EILIS KIRWAN, LARYSA KONDRACKI - The Whistleblower
KEN SCOTT, MARTIN PETIT - Starbuck
JEAN-MARC VALLÉE - Café de Flore
RYAN WARD, MATTHEW HEITI - Son of the Sunshine

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY / MEILLEURE ADAPTATION
PHILIPPE FALARDEAU - Monsieur Lazhar
RYAN REDFORD - Oliver Sherman
DAVID SHAMOON - In Darkness
STEVEN SILVER - The Bang Bang Club

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS / MEILLEURS EFFETS VISUELS
DENNIS BERARDI, MATHEW BORNETT, MIKE BORRETT, WILSON CAMERON, OVI CINAZIN, JASON EDWARDH, OLIVER HEARSEY, JIM PRICE, MILAN SCHERE, WOLCIECH ZIELINSKI - A Dangerous Method
ÉVE BRUNET, JACQUES LÉVESQUE, PHILIPPE ROBERGE - Snow & Ashes
MARC CÔTÉ, STÉPHANIE BROUSSAUD, GARY CHUNTZ, VINCENT DUDOUET, CYNTHIA MOUROU, ERIC NORMANDIN, MARTIN PENSA, LUC SANFAÇON, SYLVAIN THÉROUX, NATHALIE TREMBLAY - Café de Flore
GEOFFROY LAUZON – BumRush
TOM TURNBULL, IAN BRITTON, ROBERT CROWTHER, TONY CYBULSKI - Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster

BEST FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY / MEILLEUR LONG MÉTRAGE DOCUMENTAIRE
BEAUTY DAY - Jay Cheel, Kristina McLaughlin, Kevin McMahon, Roman Pizzacalla
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN BLACK AND WHITE - Julia Ivanova, Boris Ivanov
THE GUANTANAMO TRAP - Thomas Wallner, Amit Breuer, Patrick Crowe
LA NUIT, ELLES DANSENT / AT NIGHT, THEY DANCE - Isabelle Lavigne, Stéphane Thibault, Lucie Lambert
WIEBO'S WAR - David York, Nick Hector, C.C.E., Bryn Hughes, Bonnie Thompson

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY / MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE DOCUMENTAIRE
75 WATTS - John Cullen
DERAILMENTS - Chelsea McMullan
SIRMILIK - Zacharias Kunuk, Joel McConvey, Kristina McLaughlin, Kevin McMahon, Michael McMahon, Geoff Morrison, Ryan J. Noth

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT DRAMA / MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE DRAMATIQUE
DOUBLES WITH SLIGHT PEPPER - Ian Harnarine
HOPE - Pedro Pires, Phoebe Greenberg, Penny Mancuso
ORA - René Chénier, Philippe Baylaucq
LA RONDE - Élaine Hébert, Sophie Goyette

BEST ANIMATED SHORT / MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE D'ANIMATION
CHOKE - Michelle Latimer
LA CITÉ ENTRE LES MURS / INNER CITY - Alain Fournier
MUYBRIDGE'S STRINGS - Koji Yamamura, Michael Fukushima, Shuzo John Shiota, Keisuke Tsuchihashi
ROMANCE - Georges Schwizgebel, René Chénier, Marc Bertrand
WILD LIFE - Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby, Marcy Page, Bonnie Thompson


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Award Eyes New Prize

The January 27th, 2012 deadline for submissions is coming up for the Prix Rideau Awards proposed new award design. As you know, the PRA celebrates local theatre.

According to an October news release posted on the PRA site: "2012 marks the fifth year of the Prix Rideau Awards and to celebrate this important milestone, we are sending out a call for design of a new Rideau statuette (...) We are aiming to present a prototype of the winning design during the April 2012 awards ceremony. The new awards will then be presented to winners during the April 2013 awards ceremony."

Check it out at http://www.prixrideauawards.ca/press-releases/

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