TORONTO, September 7, 2023 —The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) today announced Nancy Grant and Anam Abbas as the recipients of its annual Indiescreen Awards, which celebrates the best and brightest in Canadian independent feature film production. The winners were announced at a ceremony, presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Thursday, September 7.

Nancy Grant (Metafilms) was named the recipient of the Established Producer Award. The Quebec-based producer was recognized for her exceptional contributions to the Canadian production sector and her steadfast support of emerging filmmakers. Grant has produced dozens of films over her 15-year career, including Falcon Lake (2022), The Death and Life of John F. Donovan (2018), and Felix & Meira (2014). Her latest feature film, Simple Comme Sylvain (The Nature of Love), directed by Monia Chokri, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and will have its North American premiere at TIFF this fall. As the winner of the Established Producer Award, Ms. Grant was awarded a $20,000 cash prize.

Anam Abbas was named the recipient of the 2023 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award. Ms. Abbas was recognized for her ingenuity and her passion for creating films that feel urgent and essential. Her latest project, In Flames, also premiered at Cannes and will be screening at TIFF. As the winner of the Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award, Ms. Abbas was awarded a $10,000 cash prize.

“The Indiescreen Awards bring the industry together to honour the extraordinary talent of Canada’s independent producers who give blood, sweat and tears to bring to life the incredible stories that inspire us all,” said the CMPA’s President and CEO Reynolds Mastin. “Congratulations to the winners—we are thrilled to celebrate and recognize your impressive accomplishments and your contributions to the domestic production sector and beyond.”

The award winners were selected by two national juries. The Established Producer Award jury and the Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award jury were each chaired by last year’s CMPA Indiescreen Award winners, Damon D’Oliveira, and Sara Blake, Magali Gillon-Krizaj and Tyler Hagan, respectively. The CMPA thanks the 2023 jury members for their time and commitment.

Established Producer Award Jury:

• Damon D’Oliveira, Jury chair and 2022 Established Producer Award winner (Partner, Conquering Lion Pictures)
• Stefania Scarfo (Head of Content & Strategy, Paramount+ Canada)
• Aisling Chin Yee (director, writer, producer, Fluent Films)
• Juanita Peters (director, writer, actor, San Family Productions Inc.)
• Rose Schimm (Film Programming Manager, Whistler Film Festival Society)

Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award nominees

• Sara Blake, Magali Gillon-Krizaj, and Tyler Hagan, Jury chairs and 2022 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award winners (producers, SSMT Productions)
• Hilary Hart (Co-President, Game Theory Films)
• Sasha Leigh Henry (showrunner, director)
• Luisa Alvarez Restrepo (Manager, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, ACTRA Toronto)
• Albert Shin (director, producer)

To be eligible, nominees must have acted as a producer on a Canadian feature film that premiered in the 2023 calendar year. More information about the CMPA Indiescreen Awards can be found here.

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ABOUT THE CMPA
The Canadian Media Producers Association is the national advocacy organization for independent producers, representing hundreds of companies engaged in the development, production, and distribution of English-language content made for television, cinema, and digital media channels. For 75 years, the CMPA has worked to promote the continued success of the Canadian production sector and to ensure a bright future for the diverse content made by our members for both domestic and international audiences. cmpa.ca.

For more information::

Gamiela Fereg
Senior Manager, Media Relations & Communications, CMPA
gamiela.fereg@cmpa.ca