Genie Award Nominations Announced

David Cronenberg's gritty London, England-set mob thriller Eastern Promises and Roger Spottiswoode's Rwandan-set drama Shake Hands with the Devil lead the race for this year's Genie Awards, with each garnering 12 nominations.

The Genie nominations were announced Monday afternoon. The Genie Awards will be doled-out at a ceremony in Toronto March 3 to be broadcast later that night on the E! Television Network and the IFC specialty channel.

This is the first time in years that the pan-Canadian film awards are not going to be dominated by Québécois cinema. Quebec films have taken home most of the hardware at the Genies over the past four years, mirroring the critical and commerical boom in Quebec film. But all the leading nominees are English-Canadian flicks this year.

Sarah Polley's Away From Her - which just snared two Oscar nominations - is up for seven Genies, including nods for best film, director and adapted screenplay (both for Polley), and best actress (for Julie Christie).