On Sept. 12, 2025, the 40th Gémeaux Documentary and Craft Gala – which celebrates the essential contributions of Québec television craftspeople – honoured three SOCAN members among the 18 nominees in music-related categories.
In the Best Original Music – Fiction category, Ramachandra Borcar took home the honours for his score for the series IXE-13 : la course à l’uranium (Sphère Média). As he was unable to attend the awards ceremony, Paroles &Musique invited him to share his initial reaction: “It’s a great honour to win a Gémeaux for my work on IXE-13, a project that allowed me to take creative risks and explore bold directions in the score, thanks to my longtime collaboration with the talented Yan Lanouette Turgeon. Yan continually pushes boundaries, helping me avoid the familiar and bring something new to the space. This series offered a rare chance to re-imagine a moment in Québec history with fresh creative vision. It’s inspiring to see such bold collaborations supported and celebrated in our industry.”
Screen composer Claudie Bertounesque took home the very first Gémeaux of her career, winning in the Best Original Music – Documentary category for her work on Libres de choisir (Picbois Productions). Directed by Julie Boisvert and Élise Ekker-Lambert, the film offers an intimate look at the daily lives of frontline workers defending abortion rights. “Receiving this Gémeaux is truly a great honour for me!” said Bertounesque. “The score for Libres de choisir is the result of a close collaboration with an incredible team. I want to share this recognition with the directors, the producer, and the protagonists of the film, without whom this documentary could never have come to life. Finally, I sincerely thank my fellow Academy members for this mark of recognition.”
Finally, composer Gaëtan Essiambre won the Gémeaux for Best Musical Theme – All Categories. for his music from the TV sitcom Un gars, une fille. He chose not to attend the ceremony because of the distance – he lives in Percé – a decision he explained with humour and pragmatism: “Having already been nominated seven times in the past, and currently working on the music for the next season of Un gars, une fille, I weighed the travel time, the costs (over $450 just for a seat at the Gala), and the fatigue it would all cause. I realized I’d be losing four to five days of precious creative time. And if I came back empty-handed for an eighth time, it would all have been for nothing, so I figured I’d be better off staying in the Gaspésie. Well, to my great surprise, I won on the one time I didn’t attend the party! I’m proud of the win: I’m a die-hard melody guy, and melody is something you hear less and less in today’s TV themes, so I like to think of it as a victory for melody! Now, if I can just figure out how to get my trophy!”
Congratulations to Ramachandra Borcar, Claudie Bertounesque, and Gaëtan Essiambre – and to all the nominees in the three music categories at the Gémeaux Awards! For a list all the winners and nominated artists, visit the Academy website.