'Eastern Promises' Landed 12 Nods at 2008 Genies Awards

The Russian mobsters' film "Eastern Promises" shared the lead position of 28th Annual Genie Awards' nominations with the Rwandan genocide's "Shake Hands With the Devil". On Monday, January 28, the two movies have been announced to be the nomination leaders as they nabbed 12 nods each from the Canada's film awards.

The two films will battle each other for the honor of Best Motion Picture contending also with "L'age Des Tenebres" (Days of Darkness), "Away From Her" and "Continental, Un Film Sans Fusil" (Continental, A Film Without Guns). The David Cronenberg's crime family drama "Promises" also has to face the Roger Spottiswoode's biopic "Devil" in the best director prize. Aside from facing "Devil", it will contest against Sarah Polley's "Away From Her", Bruce Mcdonald's "The Tracey Fragments" and Denys Arcand's "Tenebres".

However, the two films won't be a rival in the screenplay category. "Promises" is nominated for Best Original Screenplay, while "Devil" gathers nod for Best Adapted Screenplay. For the original screenplay prize, "Promises" will be up against "Les 3 P'tits Cochons" (The 3 Little Pigs), "Tenebres", "Bluff" and "Everything's Gone Green", whereas in the adapted screenplay category, "Devil" will be running against "Away" and "Fragments".

In the race of the leading actor kudo, Viggo Mortensen of "Promises" will be challenging Roy Dupuis of "Devil", Marc Labreche of "Tenebres", Claude Legault of "Cochons" and Gordon Pinsent of "Away". Further, contending for the best actress prize are Anne-Marie Cadieux for "Toi", Julie Christie for "Away", Ellen Page for "Fragments", Molly Parker for "Who Loves The Sun" and Beatrice Picard for "Ma Tante Aline" (My Aunt Aline).

Following the success of "Promises" and "Devil" in snagging multiple counts are "Away" with seven gongs, "Continental" with five nods and "Tenebres" with four. The award ceremony of 2008 Genies will be held on March 3 in Toronto and broadcast live on the E! Television Network in Canada and also on Canada's version of IFC. The full list of 2008 Genies can be seen at genieawards.ca, whereas the partial list can be read below.

The partial list of the 28th Annual Genie Awards' nominees:

Motion Picture:

• "L'age Des Tenebres" (Days of Darkness)
• "Away From Her"
• "Continental, Un Film Sans Fusil" (Continental, A Film Without Guns)
• "Eastern Promises"
• "Shake Hands With the Devil"

• Denys Arcand, "L'age Des Tenebres" (Days of Darkness)
• Sarah Polley, "Away From Her"
• David Cronenberg, "Eastern Promises"
• Roger Spottiswoode, "Shake Hands With the Devil"
• Bruce Mcdonald, "The Tracey Fragments"

• Roy Dupuis, "Shake Hands With the Devil"
• Marc Labreche, "L'age Des Tenebres" (Days of Darkness)
• Claude Legault, "Les 3 P'tits Cochons" (The 3 Little Pigs)
• Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises"
• Gordon Pinsent, "Away From Her"

• Danny Glover, "Poor Boy's Game"
• Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge, "Les 3 P'tits Cochons" (The 3 Little Pigs)
• Armin Mueller-Stahl, "Eastern Promises"
• Michel Ange Nzojibwami, "Shake Hands With the Devil"
• Gilbert Sicotte, "Continental, Un Film Sans Fusil" (Continental, A Film Without Guns)

• Anne-Marie Cadieux, "Toi" (You)
• Julie Christie, "Away From Her"
• Ellen Page, "The Tracey Fragments"
• Molly Parker, "Who Loves The Sun"
• Beatrice Picard, "Ma Tante Aline" (My Aunt Aline)

• Marie-Ginette Guay, "Continental, Un Film Sans Fusil" (Continental, A Film Without Guns)
• Veronique Le Flaguais, Surviving My Mother" (Comment Survivre A Sa Mere)
• Laurence Leboeuf, "Ma Fille Mon Ange"
• Fanny Mallette, "Continental, Un Film Sans Fusil" (Continental, A Film Without Guns)
• Kristen Thompson, "Away From Her"

• Pierre Lamothe and Claude Lalonde, "Les 3 P'tits Cochons" (The 3 Little Pigs)
• Denys Arcand, "L'age Des Tenebres" (Days of Darkness)
• Marc-Andre Lavoie, Simon Olivier Fecteau and David Gauthier, "Bluff"
• Steve Knight, "Eastern Promises"
• Douglas Coupland, "Everything's Gone Green"

• Sarah Polley, "Away From Her"
• Michael Donovan, "Shake Hands With the Devil"
• Maureen Medved, "The Tracey Fragments"