2026 MPA Awards Honor ‘Hunger Games’ Director, Bipartisan U.S. Legislators, and Egyptian Ministry of Interior
WASHINGTON – The Motion Picture Association (MPA) tonight honored a leading creator, two key lawmakers, and an essential partner in the fight against piracy at the fifth annual MPA Awards.
2026 MPA CREATOR AWARD: Francis Lawrence, Director
2026 MPA INDUSTRY CHAMPION AWARD: Reverend Raphael Warnock, U.S. Senator (D-GA)
2026 MPA INDUSTRY CHAMPION AWARD: Robert Stivers, Kentucky Senate President (R-KY)
2026 MPA CREATIVE PROTECTOR AWARD: Egyptian Ministry of Interior
“Every year, the MPA Awards celebrate what unites creators, policymakers, and fans, from Washington to Hollywood and beyond: our shared belief in the power of great stories, well told,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPA. “Throughout American history, creativity and innovation have driven our economic strength, our cultural imprint, and the health of our democracy. Tonight, we honor that same spirit – and the leaders who embody it: legislators who champion our industry, a law enforcement partner who helps us protect our content, and a filmmaker who keeps audiences watching, wondering, and eager to experience the next sunrise of great storytelling.”
Francis Lawrence received the 2026 MPA Creator Award for his ability to blend raw emotion with surreal action on-screen. As the director of I Am Legend, Water for Elephants, Red Sparrow, Constantine, The Long Walk from Lionsgate and five films in the studio’s Hunger Games franchise, his work combines polished craftsmanship with a strong sense of character and scale. Lawrence’s next film is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, in theaters Nov. 20.
“It’s a privilege to tell stories that entertain audiences, move them and maybe even leave them with something to think about when they walk out of the theater,” said Francis Lawrence. “Movies can be so much more than entertainment—they can tell stories about things that matter, bring people together and even educate us. I’m incredibly grateful to the MPA for this recognition, and for fighting to protect filmmakers’ rights and freedom to tell the stories that are important to us.”
The MPA honored U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers (R-KY) with 2026 MPA Industry Champion Awards for their policy efforts to promote and protect the creative community. Sen. Rev. Warnock received the 2026 MPA Industry Champion Award for his efforts to boost U.S. film and TV production, in his home state of Georgia and across the country. The Senator has championed bipartisan legislation, like the CREATE Act and other proposals, designed to encourage more domestic production and increase opportunities for high-paying jobs for American workers.
“Georgia continues to be a national leader in the arts and entertainment industry. It fills me with immense pride whenever I see Georgia represented in a movie or TV show,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I will continue to work in Washington and across the aisle to ensure Georgia-based film productions continue to be supported and Georgians, whose livelihoods depend on the film industry, have all the resources they need to succeed.”
State Senate President Stivers received the 2026 MPA Industry Champion Award in recognition of his impact on Kentucky’s entertainment sector. His leadership in the General Assembly has been instrumental in advancing key measures for the Commonwealth to attract larger-scale productions, including his recently enacted legislation to modernize the state’s film incentive program.
“I’m honored to be recognized by the Motion Picture Association, but the credit belongs to the people in Kentucky’s film industry who helped guide this effort,” said Kentucky Senate President Stivers. “Our investments are opening doors for Kentucky talent, strengthening small businesses and driving economic growth across the Commonwealth. Kentucky has laid a strong foundation and people are taking notice. If we can demonstrate a strong return on investment, we can grow the industry even further — and turn iconic productions into a draw for tourism.”
The Egyptian Ministry of Interior received the 2026 MPA Creative Protector Award, which honors an individual or organization whose work has been critical in the global fight to combat digital piracy. Last year, the Ministry partnered with the world’s leading anti-piracy coalition, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), on the historic takedown of Streameast – formerly the largest live-sports piracy operation across the globe. Working with domestic and international partners and law enforcement authorities, ACE plays a leading role in identifying and disrupting live sports piracy networks.
“I am proud to accept this MPA Award, which recognizes the great appreciation for all authorities in charge of fighting digital piracy, criminal enterprise that exploits creators, undermines legitimate businesses, and damages the broader digital marketplace that consumers, rights holders, distributors, and broadcasters rely on,” said Brigadier General Hany Saleh, Egyptian Ministry of Interior.
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About The Motion Picture Association
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) serves as the leading voice and advocate of the motion picture, home video, and television industries. It works in every corner of the globe to advance the creative industry, protect its members’ content across all screens, defend the creative and artistic freedoms of storytellers, and support innovative distribution models that bring an expansion of viewing choices to audiences around the world. Its member studios are: Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO.
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