Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television presents an annual award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role to the best performance by a lead actress in a Canadian film. From 1980 until 2012, the award was presented as part of the Genie Awards ceremony; beginning in 2013, it will be presented as part of the new Canadian Screen Awards.

From 1980 to 1983, only Canadian actresses were eligible for the award; non-Canadian actresses appearing in Canadian films were instead considered for the separate Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress. After 1983, the latter award was discontinued, and both Canadian and foreign actresses were eligible for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.

Genie Awards

Year	Winner	Nominated
1980	Kate Lynch, Meatballs	Micheline Lanctôt, A Scream from Silence Louise Marleau, Heartbreak Claire Pimparé, Yesterday Louise Portal, Cordélia
1981	Marie Tifo, Les Bons débarras	Geneviève Bujold, Final Assignment Jennifer Dale, Suzanne Charlotte Laurier, Les Bons débarras Andrée Pelletier, L'Homme à tout faire
1982	Margot Kidder, Heartaches	Kim Cattrall, Ticket to Heaven Lesleh Donaldson, Funeral Home Ronalda Jones, Alligator Shoes Monique Spaziani, Les Beaux Souvenirs
1983	Rae Dawn Chong, La Guerre du Feu	Sara Botsford, By Design Hélène Loiselle, Doux Aveux Monique Mercure, La Quarantaine Andrée Pelletier, Latitude 55°
1984	Martha Henry, The Wars	Carole Laure, Maria Chapdelaine Barbara March, Deserters Marie Tifo, Lucien Brouillard Marie Tifo, Rien qu'un jeu
1985	Louise Marleau, La Femme de l'hôtel	Pascale Bussières, Sonatine Linda Griffiths, Reno and the Doc Isabelle Mejias, Unfinished Business Andrée Pelletier, Walls Sonja Smits, That's My Baby!
1986	Margaret Langrick, My American Cousin	Charlotte Laurier, La Dame en couleurs Christine Pak, 90 Days Monique Spaziani, Le Matou Mary Steenburgen, One Magic Christmas
1987	Martha Henry, Dancing in the Dark	Dorothée Berryman, Le Déclin de l'empire américain Jackie Burroughs, John and the Missus Tantoo Cardinal, Loyalties Helen Shaver, Lost! Marie Tifo, Pouvoir intime
1988	Sheila McCarthy, I've Heard the Mermaids Singing	Frédérique Collin, Marie s'en va-t-en ville Jacinta Cormier, Life Classes Kate Lynch, Taking Care Gabrielle Rose, Family Viewing
1989	Jackie Burroughs, A Winter Tan	Geneviève Bujold, Dead Ringers Kerrie Keane, Hitting Home Josette Simon, Milk and Honey Monique Spaziani, Les Portes tournantes
1990	Rebecca Jenkins, Bye Bye Blues	Colleen Dewhurst, Termini Station Megan Follows, Termini Station Margaret Langrick, Cold Comfort Gabrielle Rose, Speaking Parts Catherine Wilkening, Jésus de Montréal
1991	Pascale Montpetit, H	Alice Diabo, The Company of Strangers Cissy Meddings, The Company of Strangers Kate Nelligan, White Room Nina Petronzio, Vincent et moi
1992	Janet Wright, Bordertown Café	Janet-Laine Green, The Shower Viveca Lindfors, North of Pittsburgh Enrica Maria Modugno, La Sarrasine Valerie Pearson, Solitaire
1993	Sheila McCarthy, The Lotus Eaters	Élise Guilbault, Cap Tourmente Andrée Lachapelle, Cap Tourmente Pauline Lapointe, La Florida Aloka McLean, The Lotus Eaters
1994	Sandra Oh, Double Happiness	Nancy Beatty, Henry & Verlin Geneviève Bujold, Mon amie Max Valérie Kaprisky, Mouvements du désir Marie Tifo, Les Pots cassés
Jan. 1996	Helena Bonham Carter, Margaret's Museum	Pascale Bussières, Eldorado Pascale Bussières, When Night is Falling Pascale Montpetit, Eldorado Isabel Richer, Eldorado
Nov. 1996	Martha Henry, Long Day's Journey into Night	Marie Brassard, Le Polygraphe Helene Clarkson, Blood and Donuts Brenda Fricker, Swann Louise Portal, Sous-sol
1997	Molly Parker, Kissed	Isabelle Cyr, Karmina Sarah Polley, The Sweet Hereafter Gabrielle Rose, The Sweet Hereafter Alberta Watson, Shoemaker
1999	Sandra Oh, Last Night	Anne-Marie Cadieux, Nô Pascale Montpetit, Le Coeur au poing Ginette Reno, C't'à ton tour, Laura Cadieux Pierrette Robitaille, C't'à ton tour, Laura Cadieux
2000	Sylvie Moreau, Post Mortem	Elaine Cassidy, Felicia's Journey Jennifer Ehle, Sunshine Rosemary Harris, Sunshine Mary-Louise Parker, The Five Senses
2001	Marie-Josée Croze, Maelström	Kim Hunter, Here's to Life! Ginette Reno, Laura Cadieux...La Suite Pierrette Robitaille, Laura Cadieux...La Suite Tilda Swinton, Possible Worlds
2002	Élise Guilbault, La Femme qui boit	Jillian Fargey, Protection Anna Friel, The War Bride Sarah Polley, The Law of Enclosures Katja Riemann, Desire
2003	Arsinée Khanjian, Ararat	Isabelle Blais, Savage Messiah Molly Parker, Men With Brooms Deborah Kara Unger, Between Strangers Polly Walker, Savage Messiah
2004	Sarah Polley, My Life Without Me	Rebecca Jenkins, Marion Bridge Micheline Lanctôt, Comment ma mère accoucha de moi durant sa ménopause Molly Parker, Marion Bridge Karine Vanasse, Séraphin: un homme et son péché
2005	Pascale Bussières, Ma vie en cinémascope	Isabelle Blais, Les Aimants Céline Bonnier, Monica la mitraille Emily Hampshire, Blood Jacinthe Laguë, Elles étaient cinq
2006	Seema Biswas, Water	Gina Chiarelli, See Grace Fly Macha Grenon, Familia Arsinée Khanjian, Sabah Sylvie Moreau, Familia
2007	Julie LeBreton, Maurice Richard	Jodelle Ferland, Tideland Fatou N'Diaye, Un dimanche à Kigali (A Sunday in Kigali) Ginette Reno, Le secret de ma mère Sigourney Weaver, Snow Cake
2008	Julie Christie, Away from Her	Anne-Marie Cadieux, Toi Ellen Page, The Tracey Fragments Molly Parker, Who Loves the Sun Béatrice Picard, Ma tante Aline
2009	Ellen Burstyn, The Stone Angel	Isabelle Blais, Borderline Marianne Fortier, Maman est chez le coiffeur Susan Sarandon, Emotional Arithmetic Preity Zinta, Heaven on Earth
2010	Karine Vanasse, Polytechnique	Madeline Ivalu, Before Tomorrow Karen LeBlanc, Nurse.Fighter.Boy Carinne Leduc, 3 saisons Gabrielle Rose, Mothers & Daughters
2011	Lubna Azabal, Incendies	Tatiana Maslany, Grown Up Movie Star Molly Parker, Trigger Rosamund Pike, Barney's Version Tracy Wright, Trigger
2012	Vanessa Paradis, Café de Flore	Catherine de Léan, Nuit #1 Pascale Montpetit, The Girl in the White Coat Rachel Weisz, The Whistleblower Michelle Williams, Take This Waltz

Canadian Screen Awards

Year	Winner	Nominated
2013	Rachel Mwanza, Rebelle (War Witch)	Évelyne Brochu, Inch'Allah Geneviève Bujold, Still Mine Marilyn Castonguay, L'Affaire Dumont Suzanne Clément, Laurence Anyways