‘In Flames’ and ‘Nature of Love’ Producers Win Indiescreen Awards

Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker Anam Abbas has won the 2023 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award from the Canadian Media Producers Assn. won. This was announced on September 7th at the Indiescreen Awards, the opening event of the Toronto International Film Festival’s industry conference at Glenn Gould Studios.

Abbas’ latest feature is writer-director Zarrar Kahn’s feature debut “In Flames,” a Pakistani-Canadian horror drama about a Karachi woman and her mother who are harassed by malevolent figures from their past after the death of the family patriarch. The film, which opens in Toronto next week, premiered at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes, where XYZ Films announced the title would debut its “New Visions” series.

The C$10,000 ($7,300) award recognizes the talents of emerging feature film producers. Abbas was recognized by the jury for her ingenuity and passion for creating films that feel real and essential.

Nancy Grant of Metafilms received the CMPA’s 2023 Established Producer Award in recognition of her contributions to the Canadian production sector and support of emerging filmmakers such as Maxime Giroux, Xavier Dolan, Denis Côté and Anne Émond. The Quebec-based producer’s latest film, Monia Chokri’s The Nature of Love, premiered at Cannes and will be shown in Toronto next week.

The Established Producer award is worth 20,000 Canadian dollars (14,000 US dollars).

“The Indiescreen Awards bring the industry together to celebrate the extraordinary talent of Canadian independent producers who invest blood, sweat and tears to bring to life the incredible stories that inspire us all,” said CMPA President and CEO Reynolds Mastin. “We are delighted to celebrate and recognize your achievements and contributions to the domestic manufacturing sector and beyond.”

The juries for both awards selected the winners from a previously announced shortlist of nominees.

The CMPA is the nation’s leading member-based advocacy group for independent producers.