[1] The ceremony was hosted by broadcaster Bill Walker.
With the goal of broadening public awareness of the awards, the organizers moved the ceremony back into a theatre, with a section reserved for the general public.
They also initiated the enormously popular Film Award Week which allowed the public to join the international jury in screening the nominated films.
After reviewing 125 entries, the judges presented the international jury with 65 nominees.
[2] Jean Pierre Lefebvre threatened to withdraw the film Q-Bec My Love if the Ontario Censor Board did not withdraw its demand for the film's explicit sexuality to be edited; provincial cabinet minister James Auld intervened to dissuade the board from insisting on the cuts.