The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) and the Producers Guild of America (PGA) inked a memorandum of understanding agreement on Thursday with the goal of expanding copro opportunities between Canadian and U.S. producers.

The MOU sets out guidelines for how the two bodies can cooperate and share information. The Producers Guild of America represents over 7,000 producers working in film, television and new media. As part of the MOU, CMPA members will also now be eligible to participate in PGA mentoring and education programs.

This latest agreement follows the CMPA inking a cooperation agreement with Brazil’s Interstate Association of Audiovisual Industry in November 2014, as well as a similar deal signed in 2013 with the Screen Producers Association of Australia.

The CMPA revealed Robert Lantos of Serendipity Point Films had won the 2015 Feature Film Producer’s Award. He was selected from a group of five nominees, including Sylvain Corbeil (Our Loved Ones), David Hamilton (Beeba Boys), Kim McCraw (Endorphine, My Internship in Canada) and Laura J. Miliken (Fire Song).

The award, created in partnership with TIFF, recognizes the entrepreneurship and vision of a Canadian producer whose work shows a commitment and passion to producing Canadian features. Past winners have included Nancy Grant, Jennifer Jonas and Denise Robert.

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