Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss named 2018 CMPA Indiescreen Award winners
Caitlin Grabham awarded the Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award
TORONTO, Sept. 6, 2018 /CNW/ - The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) today announced the winners of the 2018 CMPA Indiescreen Awards in an afternoon ceremony that marked the opening of the annual Toronto International Film Festival.
- Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss (The Film Farm) were named joint winners of the CMPA's Established Producer Award in recognition of their impressive collective body of work, which has helped define Canadian film on the world stage.
- Caitlin Grabham (Prowler Film) was the recipient of the newly dedicated Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award for her inspiring early-career accomplishments and bright future as an influential filmmaker. The award is named for the late Canadian film producer, best known for his seminal bilingual work Bon Cop Bad Cop.
"It's an honour today to celebrate Simone and Jennifer's inspiring 20-year production partnership, and the fresh, innovative work of Caitlin, one of Canada's most impressive up-and-coming feature film producers," said the CMPA's President and CEO Reynolds Mastin. "The remarkable work of these three women showcases the best Canadian cinema has to offer."
Urdl and Weiss have produced films together as a team for over two decades. Their films have screened at festivals around the world, including TIFF, Sundance, Berlin, San Sabastian, New York, Locarno and Los Cabos. Their latest feature, Falls Around Her, will premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema category at TIFF this year.
Caitlin Grabham's film Firecrackers, also selected for this year's TIFF, has generated significant buzz in the lead up to the festival. This is her first feature film and is based on her 2013 short of the same name. It was produced through Telefilm's Talent to Watch program. Grabham is a Film Studies graduate from Toronto's Ryerson University.
Two juries, each chaired by 2017 Indiescreen Awards recipients, selected the winners from a previously announced shortlist of nominees.
Established Producer Award Jury:
- Jury Chair and 2017 Established Producer Award co-winner, Luc Déry (Producer, micro_scope)
- Lisa Meeches (Producer, Eagle Vision)
- Mark Slone (Executive)
- Anne Wheeler (Director)
- Sherry White (Producer/Showrunner, Streely Maid Films)
Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award Jury:
- Jury Chair and 2017 Emerging Producer Award co-winner, Matt Code (Producer, Wildling Pictures)
- Caroline Habib (VP, Development, New Metric Media)
- Laura Mackenzie (Executive Director, Screen Nova Scotia)
- Andrew Murphy (Director of Programming, Inside Out)
- Carol Whiteman (President and CEO, Women in the Director's Chair)
The Awards
Established in 2005, the CMPA Indiescreen Awards recognize producers whose vision and entrepreneurship demonstrate a commitment and passion for producing Canadian feature films. To be eligible for nomination, producers must have a film selected for screening at TIFF.
Nominees in the Established Producer category are selected based upon their body of work developed over the course of their careers. Nominees for the Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award are chosen for demonstrating impressive potential early in their feature film production careers.
The winner of the Established Producer Award will receive $10,000 and the winner of the newly dedicated Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award will receive $5,000.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN MEDIA PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION
The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is the country's leading member-based advocacy organization for independent producers. We represent hundreds of companies engaged in the development of English-language content made for television, cinema and digital media channels. The CMPA works to promote the continued success of the Canadian production sector and ensure a future for diverse content made by Canadians for both domestic and international audiences. www.cmpa.ca
SOURCE Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA)
Kyle O'Byrne, Manager, Media Relations & Communications, Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), [email protected]
Share this article