The Genie Awards were given out annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to recognize the best of Canadian cinema from 1980–2012. They succeeded the Canadian Film Awards (1949–1978) known as the "Etrog Awards" for sculptor Sorel Etrog, who designed its statuette.[1]
Genie Award candidates were selected from submissions made by the owners of Canadian films or their representatives, based on the criteria laid out in the Genie Rules and Regulations booklet which is distributed to Academy members and industry members. Peer-group juries, assembled from volunteer members of the Academy, meet to screen the submissions and select a group of nominees. Academy members then vote on these nominations.
In 2012, the Academy announced that the Genies would merge with its sister presentation for English-language television, the Gemini Awards, to form a new award presentation, the Canadian Screen Awards.[2]
The Genie Awards were aired by CBC from 1980 to 2003, before moving to CHUM Limited's networks (Citytv, Bravo! and Star!). After CTVglobemedia purchased CHUM Limited, the Genie Awards moved to Canwest Global's E and IFC for 2008. The last two Genie Awards (2011–2012) were broadcast by the CBC.
Listing of all Genie Awards ceremonies:[3]
The Special Achievement Genie is an award occasionally given to an individual or individuals in recognition of lifetime achievement or an important career milestone.