Sturla Gunnarsson's Rare Birds is the front-runner in the race for the first Directors Guild of Canada Awards.
The film received four nominations, voted on by the guild's awards jury, including best feature film and best direction.
"It is very nice to be recognized by my peers," Gunnarsson said. "The important thing about awards is that it creates a community by bringing filmmakers together."
Director Jeremy Podeswa was a close second yesterday with two of his works, After the Harvest and Queer as Folk,nominated for best television movie/miniseries. Podeswa also received a nomination for best director for Queer as Folk.
Holly Dale was also nominated for best director for Nero Wolfe: The Christmas Party,along with David Winning for Twice in a Lifetime: Moonshine over Harlem.
Unlike most arts awards, where a winner is chosen by a panel of judges, names of the nominees will go out to the guild's 3,700 members who will then vote on them.
"From the very beginning this was meant to be a members' award," DGC president Alan Goluboff said. "Every member will have a chance to say something about their peers' work."
The awards ceremony will mark the DGC's 40th anniversary.
"We've all grown up together," said director David Cronenberg, who announced the nominees at Marlowe's bar in Toronto. "We've gone from small-scale recognition to becoming a major force in the film industry."
The awards gala will be held Oct. 5 at Toronto's Boulevard Club.