Atom Egoyan's Ararat, a film about the 1915 massacre of Armenians in Turkey, won five Genie awards Thursday night, although Egoyan wasn't there to share the honours.

The director was in Germany heading the jury at the Berlin film festival.

His film won the best picture award and Arsinée Khanjian, Egoyan's wife, garnered a best actress award for her role in the movie. Elias Koteas was named best supporting actor.

Arsinée Khanjian (CP PHOTO)

Egoyan wasn't nominated, however, for best director. That Genie went to David Cronenberg for Spider.

Deepah Mehta won for her original screenplay, "Bollywood/Hollywood."

The film Savage Messiah won three Genies, including the best supporting actress award for Pascale Montpetit and best actor nod for Luc Picard.

"Reactions were kind of mixed because it's not the type of movie you fall in love with. People watch it and find themselves very troubled," said Picard, who played real-life '80s cult leader Roch Thériault.

And in a feat unlikely to be matched by Hollywood's Oscars, the 23rd Genie Awards ceremony came in under time, finishing in less than two hours.