Barry Avrich, Roger Frappier, Jennifer Jonas, Nicholas de Pencier and Nicholas Tabarrok are the shortlisted producers for the Canadian Media Production Association’s Feature Film Producer’s Award.

National jury chair Daniel Iron, who last year won the prize for Inescapable, made the announcement Friday.

Of the eligible 28 Canadian features screening at TIFF this year, the jury, which also includes filmmaker Tim Southam, former CMPA president Norm Bolen, ACCT chair Helga Stephenson and CineCoup president of sales and distribution Brad Pelman, narrowed the field to five nominees.

Avrich follows last year’s Showstopper with Filthy Gorgeous: The Bob Guccione Story, while Roger Frappier is producing The Grand Seduction and Jennifer Jonas of New Real Films produces Bruce LaBruce’s Gerontophilia. And Nicholas de Pencier, Jennifer Baichwal’s producing partner on Watermark, is also shortlisted, along with Darius Films’ Nicholas Tabarrok for The Art of the Steal, his second collaboration with director Jonathan Sobol.

“Being a feature film producer is a highly competitive and high-risk business – especially in Canada. But the payoff from the tenacity, dedication and hard work to make a film is rewarded when that work sparks the imagination of audience at home and abroad,” said CMPA president and CEO Michael Hennessy in a statement.

The prize will be announced on Sept. 5 at TIFF during a special afternoon reception.