The third consecutive night of Gemini galas wrapped in Toronto last night, with Mayerthorpe, a gut-wrenching recount of the March, 2005, killing of four RCMP officers in Alberta, taking home the award for best television movie.
Veteran filmmaker John N. Smith was named best director of a dramatic program or miniseries for The Englishman's Boy, based on Guy Vanderhaeghe's beloved story.
In the performing-arts category, Dennis Beauchamp was named best director for Blood on the Moon, while T.W. Peacocke won best comedic direction for Rent-A-Goalie.
Jo Koy won the Gemini for best individual performance in a comedy or series for a hilarious turn in the Just For Laughs Gala series.
The bulk of the best-of-Canadian television awards will be handed out on Nov. 28 at the 23rd Annual event held at Toronto's Metro Convention Centre.
Brampton, Ont.-born comedian Russell Peters won a Gemini for best host of the 2008 Juno Awards.
Actors Peter MacNeill ( Victor: The Victor Davis Story), Jonas Chernick ( The Border) and Gavin Crawford ( Murdoch Mysteries) won Geminis for featured supporting or guest roles in dramatic series or miniseries.
In the same categories, Katharine Isabelle won for The Englishman's Boy; Maria Doyle Kennedy for The Tudors; and Pascale Hutton for a guest spot on Intelligence.
On Tuesday, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Ghost Trackers and Chef School were among the Gemini winners in lifestyle, children's and youth television programming.
CTV's teen soap opera Degrassi took the award for best children's or youth fiction program or series while the YTV paranormal show Ghost Trackers won in the non-fiction category. The Food Network reality program Chef School won for best lifestyle/practical information series.