Canada loves 'Away From Her'

Director's Guild awards movie five nominations

By TAMSEN TILLSON

Sarah Polley's 'Away From Her' drew five Directors Guild of Canada nominations, including notices for top film and helmer.

TORONTO -- Thesp Sarah Polley's feature helming debut "Away From Her" leads the film nominations for the Directors Guild of Canada Awards with five.

Pic, which follows an elderly couple (Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent) as the wife slides into Alzheimer's, drew mentions for film, director, production design, editing and sound editing.

In the film and direction category, Polley's work is up against bilingual buddy pic "Bon Cop Bad Cop," directed by Eric Canuel; zombie movie "Fido," directed by Andrew Currie; and Clement Virgo's basketball pic "Poor Boy's Game."

In the smallscreen categories, the science drama "Regenesis" received five noms, two for direction and three in picture and sound editing. The comedy "Slings & Arrows" was nominated four times, including for TV drama; "Heyday," "In God's Country" and "October 1970," all nommed in the TV movie/miniseries category, also received four mentions each.

Guild announced plans to honor hyphenate Paul Almond with a lifetime achievement nod and longtime producer Marilyn Stonehouse with the inaugural Don Haldane Distinguished Service Award.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Peter Keleghan in Toronto on Sept. 29.