Sponsored by Warsaw-based Forrest Equity Management (www.forrestglobal.com), the new awards will recognize the best in film financing worldwide, awarding individuals, organizations, and companies.

Awards will be given in the following categories: distribution companies; executive producers; film boards; festivals; finance companies; films sales companies; tax credit regions; and lifetime achievement in financing.

Organizer Craig Smith said interest has been building steadily, with sponsors (including Fashion TV) now coming on board.

Leslie Sheldon of Forrest Motion Pictures said the concept was the result of seeing the hard work independent filmmakers put into patching together funding sources. Forrest Equity Management's managing director Don Bailey noted that executive producers are a category that goes unrecognized at the Oscar awards ceremony.