Gemini nominations announced: Flashpoint leads, once again, and controversial Kennedys miniseries gets some nods

Gemini nominations announced: Flashpoint leads, once again, and controversial Kennedys miniseries gets some nods

The 26th annual Gemini Award nominations were released today and, like last year, Flashpoint features prominently across all categories—the show got 17 nods this year, including Best Dramatic Series. Close on its heels is Call My Fitz, the new HBO Canada series, with 16 nominations and TMN/Movie Central’s Living in Your Car, with 10 nominations. Also nominated for Best Dramatic Series alongside Flashpoint is the now-defunct MTV show Skins, as well as The Borgias, Endgame and The Tudors.

Perhaps the most surprising nominations of the day go to the Kennedys miniseries—shot in Toronto and starring Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes, the series had trouble getting picked up in the United States (and not just because of Katie Holmes’ atrocious New England accent). The Kennedys finally screened on ReelzChannels across the U.S. and History Television in Canada and has picked up 10 Gemini nominations, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Barry Pepper, Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series and Best Dramatic Miniseries or TV Movie.

Alongside The Kennedys is The Pillars of the Earth, based on the novels by Ken Follett and featuring Gordon Pinsent, Donald Sutherland and Alison Pill, with another 10 nominations, including Best Performance by an Actor and Actress in a Leading Role for Ian McChane and Hayley Atwell, Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries and Best Dramatic Miniseries or TV Movie.

The Gemini Awards will be broadcast live Sept. 7 on CBC Television.

See the full list of nominees in the program and performance categories, after the jump.

Best Animated Program or Series
Glenn Martin DDS
Hot Wheels, Battle Force Five
Jimmy Two Shoes
Kid vs. Kat
March of the Dinosaurs

Best Biography Documentary Program
Gordon Pinsent: Still Rowdy After All These Years
Mordecai Richler: The Last of the Wild Jews
When the Devil Knocks

Best Breaking News Coverage
CBC News, Here and Now, Hurricane Igor
Mubarak Refuses to Resign
Global Toronto G20 Coverage

Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series – Sponsored by the Independent Production Fund
Anash and the Legacy of the Sun-Rock
Degrassi
How to be Indie
That’s So Weird
Vacation With Derek

Best Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series
Artzooka!
In Real Life
Spelling Night in Canada: Canspell 2011
Survive This
TVOKids – Mark’s Moments

Best Comedy Program or Series
22 Minutes
Call Me Fitz
Good Dog
Ha!ifax Comedy Fest 2010
Living in Your Car
Rick Mercer Report

Best Cross-Platform Project – Children’s and Youth – Sponsored by the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund
Skatoony Interactive
Stella and Sam Interactive Adventures
The Baxter Online Experience
Babar and the Adventures of Badou Interactive

Best Cross-Platform Project – Fiction
Flashpoint Training Day
Lost Girl, Digital Media
DatingGuy.com
Endgame Interactive

Best Cross-Platform Project – Non-Fiction
CBC News Canada Votes 2011
We Will Remember Them, Digital
Live Right Now
Storming Juno Interactive
The National Parks Project Interactive

Best Documentary Series
Africa on the Move
Geologic Journey
Meltdown: The Secret History of the Global Collapse
Rodeo: Life on the Circuit
The Uluit: Champions of the North

Best Dramatic Miniseries or TV Movie
Fakers
The Kennedys
My Babysitter’s A Vampire
The Pillars of the Earth
Sleepyhead

Best Dramatic Series – Sponsored by the Independent Production Fund
The Borgias
Endgame
Flashpoint
Skins
The Tudors

Best General/Human Interest Series
Forensic Factor
Hell on Hooves
Ice Pilots NWT
Totally Tracked Down
X-Weighted: Families

Best History Documentary Program
Chasing the Royals: The Media and the Monarchy
Earth: The Making of a Planet
Finding Atlantis
Nazi Hunters: Herbert Cukurs
Queen Elizabeth in 3D

Best Lifestyle/Practical Information Series
Anna and Kristina’s Grocery Bag
Chuck’s Day Off
Design DNA
Pitchin’ In
Til Debt Do Us Part

Best Live Sporting Event
2010 Queen’s Plate
2011 IIHF World Junior Hockey Gold Medal Game
HNIC on CBC – Heritage Classic
Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Best Local Newscast, Large Market
Global National
CBC News The National
News Hour

Best Local Newscast, Small Market
CBC News Ottawa at five o’clock, 5:30 and 6
CBC News Saskatchewan
CBC News: Nova Scotia at Six

Best Music, Variety Program or Series – Sponsored by Tribute.ca
The 18th Annual National Aboriginal Achievement Awards
2010 MuchMusic Video Awards
The 2011 Juno Awards
Battle of the Blades
So You Think You Can Dance Canada

Best News Information Series
The Agenda With Steve Paikin
CBC News: Marketplace
Connect With Mark Kelley
Focus: Decision Canada
The Fifth Estate

Best News Special Event Coverage
CBC News: The New Governor General
CBC News: The Queen in Canada
Canada Remembers

Best Original Program or Series produced for Digital Media – Non-Fiction
Highrise/Out My Window
Crankytown.ca
This Land
Welcome to Pinepoint
The Test Tube With David Suzuki
My Tribe Is My Life

Best Performing Arts Program or Series or Arts Documentary Program or Series
12 Takes
The Instrument Bank
Listen to This
The National Parks Project
Star Portraits

Best Pre-School Program or Series
Dino Dan
Kids’ Canada, Wowie Woah Woah
The Mighty Jungle
Stella and Sam
TVOKids, Gisèle’s Big Backyard

Best Reality Program or Series – Sponsored by A&E Television Networks
All for Nothing?
Best. Trip. Ever.
CheF*OFF
Conviction Kitchen
Dragons’ Den

Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program
Acquainted With the Night
Code Breakers
For the Love of Elephants
Last Day of the Dinosaurs
X-Cars

Best Sports Analysis or Commentary (Program, Series or Segment)
2010 FIFA World Cup Preview Show
Oil Change
SportsCentre: Year in Review
TSN The Reporters With Dave Hodge
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Anniversary Special

Best Talk Series
George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight
JR Digs Man With a Van
Mansbridge One on One

Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program – Sponsored by the Rogers Group of Funds
Jackpot
Life With Murder
Mom’s Home
Tipping Point: The Age of the Oil Sands
When We Were Boys

Best Achievement in Casting
Living in Your Car, Chapter 2, Marsha Chesley
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, How To Make a Homunculus, Sara Kay, Jim Heber, Jenny Lewis
Lost Girl, Vexed, Lisa Parasyn, Jon Comerford
Flashpoint, Jumping At Shadows, Marissa Richmond
Durham County, Distance, Hunting and Home, Marissa Richmond, Libby Goldstein, Andrea Kenyon, Suzanne Smith, Randi Wells

Best Breaking Reportage, Local
CityTV, G20 Summit, Francis D’Souza, Alfred Colangelo
CBC News: Toronto, Fallen Officer, John Lancaster, Steven D’Souza, Tony Smyth
CBC News: Here and Now, Hurricane Igor, Lee Pitts, Eddy Kennedy

Best Breaking Reportage, National
CBC News, The National, Pakistan Floods, Adrienne Arsenault
Mubarak Refuses to Resign, Nahlah Ayed
CBC News, The National, Young Jihadist, Susan Ormiston

Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series – Sponsored by Tribute.ca
22 Minutes, Episode 12, Mark Critch, Gavin Crawford, Geri Hall, Cathy Jones
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, The Phantom of Crowley High, Alex House, Maggie Castle, Angela Jill Guingcango, Chris Leavins, Melanie Leishman, Jason Mewes, Bill Turnbull
18 to Life, Family Portrait, Peter Keleghan, Erin Agostino, Carl Alacchi, Angela Asher, Ellen David, Stacey Farber, Al Goulem, Tiio Horn, Jesse Rath, Michael Seater, Arielle Shiri
Call Me Fitz, Long Con Silver, Jason Priestley, Joanna Cassidy, Tracy Dawson, Phyllis Ellis, Ernie Grunwald, Peter MacNeill, Kathleen Munroe, Brooke Nevin, Donavon Stinson

Best Host in a Lifestyle/Practical Information, or Performing Arts Program or Series
Glutton for Punishment, Rice Eating Record, Bob Blumer
Pitchin’ In, Chicken, Lynn Crawford
Bitchin’ Kitchen, Break Up Bonanza, Nadia Giosia
Princess, Princess Nicola, Gail Vaz-Oxlade
Anna and Kristina’s Grocery Bag, Marguerite Patten’s Best British Dishes, Anna Wallner, Kristina Matisic

Best Host in a Pre-School, Children’s or Youth Program or Series
TVOKids, Gisèle’s Big Backyard, Big Backyard Community, Gisèle Corinthios
The Next Star, Decades, Adamo Ruggiero
Artzooka!, Episode 111, Jeremie Saunders

Best Host or Interviewer in a General/Human Interest or Talk Program or Series
The Opener, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, David Adjey
Magical Mystery Cures, Bob McDonald
George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, George Stroumboulopoulos
All For One With Debbie Travis, Debbie Travis
Creative Block, Lucy Van Oldenbarneveld

Best Host or Interviewer in a News Information Program or Series
CBC News: Marketplace, Tom Harrington
Connect With Mark Kelley, Mark Kelley
The Lang and O’Leary Exchange, Amanda Lang
The Fifth Estate, Linden MacIntyre
CBC News, The National, Peter Mansbridge
The Agenda With Steve Paikin, Salman Rushdie: On Fiction, Fatherhood and Fatwas, Steve Palkin

Best Host or Interviewer in a Sports Program or Sportscast
NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft, James Duthi
Off The Record, Michael Landsberg
Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, Ron MacLean
CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, After Hours, Scott Oake
FIFA World Cup Soccer, South Africa, Scott Russell

Best News Anchor
Global National, Dawna Friesen
News Hours, Chris Gailus
CBC News Now With Heather Hiscox, Heather Hiscox
CBC News The National, Peter Mansbridge
Global Toronto, Leslie Roberts

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
18 to Life, Family Portrait, Peter Keleghan
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, The Phantom of Crowley High, Chris Leavins
Call Me Fitz, Long Con Silver, Jason Priestly
Living in Your Car, Chapter 10, John Ralston

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Flashpoint, Jumping At Shadows, Enrico Colantoni
Durham County, Distance, Hunting and Home, Hugh Dillon
Shattered, Out of Sorrow, Callum Keith Rennie
Being Erica, Physician, Heal Thyself, Michael Riley
Being Human, I Want You Back (From the Dead), Sam Witwer

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries
A Heartland Christmas, Nicholas Campbell
Sleepyhead, Joshua Close
My Babysitter’s A Vampire, Atticus Mitchell
The Pillars of the Earth, Rufus Sewell

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series
Skins, Chris/Tony, Jesse Carrere
Flashpoint, Acceptable Risk/Fault Lines, Sergio Di Zio
Haven, Spiral/Ball and Chain, John Dunsworth
The Borgias, The Poisoned Chalice/The Assassin/Lucrezia’s Wedding, Colm Feore
Rookie Blue, Girlfriend of the Year/Signals Crossed, Matt Gordon
Rookie Blue, Big Nickel/In Blue, Noam Jenkins

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series
Living in Your Car, Chapter 12, Joe Cobden
Living in Your Car, Chapter 13, Colin Cunningham
Living in Your Car, Chapter 9, Peter Donaldson
Call Me Fitz, Honesty, Integrity and Low Mileage Part 1/The Pilot, Ernie Grunwald
Call Me Fitz, Long Con Silver/Mama, Peter MacNeill

Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role, Dramatic Series
Flashpoint, The Other Lane, Colin Cunningham
Durham County, Homelands, Michael Nardone
Endgame, I Killed Her, David Richmond-Peck
Flashpoint, I’d Do Anything, Tim Rozon
Flashpoint, Collateral Damage, Jonathan Scarfe

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries
The Nativity, Andrew Buchan
Fakers, Andrew Francis
The Pillars of the Earth, Ian McShane
The Kennedys, Barry Pepper

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
18 to Life, The Flushing Point, Angela Asher
Call Me Fitz, Going Down Syndrome, Tracy Dawson
InSecurity, The Kwan Identity, Grace Lynn Kung
Call Me Fitz, Mama, Brooke Nevin

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Being Erica, Erica, Interrupted, Erin Karpluk
Blackstone, Bingo Night, Carmen Moore
Republic of Doyle, Sympathy for the Devil, Krystin Pellerin
The Listener, Ace in The Hole, Lauren Lee Smith
Shattered, In the Dark, Camille Sullivan
Blackstone, Suffer The Children, Michelle Thrush

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries – Sponsored by Women in Film and Television – Toronto
The Kennedys, Diana Hardcastle
The Pillars of the Earth, Alison Pill
The Gospel According to the Blues, Karen Robinson

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series
Durham County, Family Day/Sanctuary, Bénédicte Décary
Endgame, Fearful Symmetry/Huxley, We Have a Problem, Katharine Isabelle
Rookie Blue, In Blue/Girlfriend of the Year, Melanie Nicholls-King
Rookie Blue, Girlfriend of the Year/Fite Nite, Enuka Okuma
Lost Girl, Oh Kappa My Kappa/Sorority/Fae Day, Ksenia Solo

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series
Call Me Fitz, Going Down Syndrome, Rachel Blanchard
Call Me Fitz, Long Con Silver, Joanna Cassidy
Living in Your Car, Chapter 13, Ingrid Kavelaars
Good Dog, First Episode/Converting to Judiasm, Ieva Lucs
Living in Your Car, Chapter 12, Kathryn Winslow

Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role, Dramatic Series
Being Erica, Physician, Heal Thyself, Tatiana Maslany
Rookie Blue, Girlfriend of the Year, Michelle Nolden
Flashpoint, Acceptable Risk, Liisa Repo-Martell
Flashpoint, Jumping At Shadows, Kristen Thomson
Heartland, Where the Truth Lies, Alberta Watson

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries
The Pillars of the Earth, Hayley Atwell
Turn the Beat Around, Romina D’Ugo
The Nativity, Tatiana Maslany
The Gospel According to the Blues, Jackie Richardson
Reviving Ophelia, Rebecca Williams

Best Performance in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series
The Latest Buzz, The Extreme Shakespeare Issue, Munro Chambers
Kids’ Canada, Wowie Woah Woah, Ali Eisner
Vacation With Derek, Ashley Leggat
Degrassi, My Body Is a Cage Part 2, Jordan Todosey
Vacation With Derek, Kate Trotter

Best Performance in a Hosted Stand-Up/Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Funny as Hell 2010, Show 1, Hannibal Buress
Just for Laughs 2010, Show 3, Steve Patterson
Halifax Comedy Fest 2010, Episode 3, Nikki Payne
TV With TV’s Jonathan Torrens, Freak Shows, Jonathan Torrens
Canadian Comedy Awards 10th Anniversary Variety Special, Eric Toth, Dave Brennan, Tony Lombardo, Jon Smith
Halifax Comedy Fest 2010, Episode 1, Pete Zedlacher

Best Performance in a Performing Arts Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble)
Sparkle, An Evening With Andrea Menard, Andrea Menard
Season of Song: The Canadian Tenors and Friends-Victor Micallef, Clifton Murray, Remigio Pereira, Fraser Walters
Sing Along Messiah, Ivars Taurins

Best Performance in an Animated Program or Series
Jimmy Two Shoes, Bird Brained, Sean Cullen
Stella and Sam, Night Fairies
,
Rachel Marcus
Stella and Sam, Night Fairies, Miles Johnson
League of Super Evil, Force Fighters VI, Colin Murdock
Babar and the Adventures of Badou, Neighbourly Nice Day 19A, Gordon Pinsent

Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble)
The 18th Annual National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, Adam Beach, Evan Adams
Battle of the Blades, Episodes 2–9, Shae-Lynn Bourne, Patrice Brisebois
Battle of the Blades, Episodes 2–15, Ron MacLean, Kurt Browning
Solo, Episode 2, Stephan Moccio
CityTV, Cityline, Tracy Moore

Best Sports Analyst
2010 Queen’s Plate, Jim Bannon
FIFA World Cup Soccer, South Africa, Jason De Vos
2011 IIHF World Junior Hockey Gold Medal Game, Pierre McGuire
2010 Grey Cup, Glen Suitor
2011 BMO Figure Skating, Tracy Wilson, Kurt Browning

Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer
CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, Game 7, Montreal at Pittsburgh, Bob Cole
2010 Grey Cup, Chris Cuthbert
2010 Canadian Track and Field Championships, Mark Lee
2011 IIHF World Junior Hockey Gold Medal Game, Gord Miller

Best Sports Reporting
HNIC on CBC, Heritage Classic, Elliotte Friedman
FIFA World Cup Soccer, South Africa, Brenda Irving
NHL GM Meetings, Concussions, Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger

Best Sportscaster/Anchor
SportsCentre, Darren Dutchyshen
CBC News Vancouver, Shane Foxman
SportsCentre, Jay Onrait