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Tyler Hagan of Experimental Forest Films has won the Canadian Media Producers Association’s (CMPA) 2026 Feature Film Producer Indiescreen Award.
The plaudit was announced Sept. 10 at the Indiescreen Awards, held at a packed
industry event and ceremony at the Sutton Place Hotel on the opening evening of the 51st Toronto Film Festival.
The award, which recognizes a producer’s filmmaking accomplishments over the course of their career, comes with a C$20,000 (US$14,461) cash prize and is presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada.
Recognized by the jury for his dedication to mentorship, sustainable production and community-building, as well as his passionate advocacy for emerging and underrepresented filmmakers, Hagan elevates exciting new Canadian cinema artists by nurturing talent and presenting their films at prestigious international festivals and markets.
Hagan’s most recent producing credits include “In Alaska” and “Seventeen,” both of which are premiering at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. He was the recipient of the Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Indiescreen Award in 2022 for “Until The Branches Bend.”
Anthony Cauchy (Locomotive Media) scooped the CMPA’s 2026 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Indiescreen Award, which recognizes the impressive potential of an up-and-coming producer and comes with a C$10,000 prize (US$7,230).
Cauchy was recognized for his ambition in bringing French-language storytelling with impressive craft and production value to Western Canada. Through “Surf Bay, Côte Ouest,” the first francophone series filmed in British Columbia, the Vancouver-based producer showcases strong storytelling instincts and a drive to create Canadian work that crosses linguistic and regional boundaries.
KOTV, headed by president Louis Morissette, took the CMPA’s 2026 TV Producer Indiescreen Award.
Founded in 2011, the Quebec-based company was recognized for the depth and versatility of its body of work, which spans English and French-language productions across an array of genres and formats. “Plan B,” an innovative psychological drama starring Patrick J. Adams that has run multiple seasons and been successfully adapted for English-language audiences, was cited as a testament to that creative ambition.
Morissette accepted the award and $20,000 (US$14,461) prize, which was presented in partnership with the Canada Media Fund.
“At a time when cultural sovereignty has never mattered more, this year’s Indiescreen Award winners are seizing the moment,” CMPA President and CEO Reynolds Mastin said. “Each winner represents what makes Canadian independent production so exciting right now, from ambition and versatility to a willingness to push Canadian stories further than ever before. Thank you for reminding us of what we’re fighting for at this critical moment in our nation’s history.”
The award winners were selected by three national juries, chaired by last year’s winners.
The CMPA is the country’s leading member-based advocacy organization for independent producers.
