Flashpoint, Call Me Fitz Lead Gemini Nominations

TORONTO: The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television has unveiled the nominations for the 26th annual Gemini Awards, with Flashpoint leading the pack with 17 nods and Call Me Fitz following with 16.

The third season of Flashpoint is up for 17 awards, including best dramatic series. The show faces off in the category with The Borgias, Endgame, Skins and The Tudors.

Call Me Fitz, which stars Jason Priestley, received 16 nominations for its first season. In third place for nominations is Living in Your Car (10). The two shows will compete for he best comedy program or series award, alongside 22 Minutes, Good Dog, Rick Mercer Report and the Halifax Comedy Fest 2010.

The Kennedys and The Pillars of the Earth both received 10 nominations each, and both are up for best dramatic mini-series or TV-movie. Also in the category are Fakers, My Babysitter’s a Vampire and Sleepyhead.

The contenders for best animated program or series are Glenn Martin DDS, Hot Wheels: Battle Force Five, Jimmy Two Shoes, Kid vs. Kat and March of the Dinosaurs. Nominees for best children’s or youth program or series in the fiction genre are Anash and the Legacy of the Sun-Rock, Degrassi, How to be Indie, That’s so Weird and Vacation with Derek. In the non-fiction arena, the nominees are Artzooka!, In Real Life, Spelling Night in Canada: Canspell 2011, Survive This and TVOKids: Mark’s Moments.

There were also a number of categories that recognize digital media properties. Best original program or series produced for digital media—non-fiction—features the nominees Highrise/Out My Window, Crankytown.ca, This Land, Welcome to Pinepoint, The Test Tube with David Suzuki and My Tribe is My Life. Up for best cross-platform project for children’s and youth are Skatoony Interactive, Stella and Sam Interactive Adventures, The Baxter Online Experience and Babar and the Adventures of Badou Interactive. In the cross-platform fiction category, the nominees are Flashpoint Training Day, Lost Girl: Digital Media, DatingGuy.com and Endgame Interactive. The non-fiction nominees for cross-platform project are CBC News Canada Votes 2011, We Will Remember Them: Digital, Museum Secrets: Digital, Live Right Now, Storming Juno Interactive and The National Parks Project Interactive.

Nods also went out for best lifestyle/practical information series. The contenders in this category are Anna & Kristina’s Grocery Bag, Chuck’s Day Off, Design DNA, Pitchin’ In, Til Debt Do Us Part. In the category for best reality program or series, the nominees are All for Nothing?, Best. Trip. Ever., CheF*OFF, Conviction Kitchen and Dragons’ Den.

"We congratulate all the nominees," said Helga Stephenson, the interim CEO at the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. "It is sensation to see brand-new television series garner so many accolades alongside established favorites. we are also delighted that there is a strong and growing presence in this year’s digital media categories. The arrive of new talent in both industries is a very strong indicator of a robust future."