Senator Reverend Warnock Receives 2026 MPA Industry Champion Award for Film Advocacy

Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock received the 2026 Motion Picture Association’s Industry Champion Award The award was presented during the 2026 MPA Awards on Wednesday night Senator Warnock has advocated for film and TV production in Georgia and the U.S. since joining the Senate 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” ICYMI: The Power of Storytelling: 2026 MPA Industry Champion Honoree Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock on Georgia’s Production Future Washington, D.C. – Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) received the 2026 Motion Picture Association Industry Champion Award for his continued work supporting the creative community and strengthening Georgia’s thriving film industry. “Georgia continues to be a national leader in the arts and entertainment industry. It fills me with immense pride whenever I see Georgia and my constituents’ work 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.” Senator Warnock received the 2026 Motion Picture Association Industry Champion Award from MPA Chairman and CEO Charles H. Rivkin during the MPA Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (Photo Credit: Motion Picture Association) Senator Warnock is the co-lead of the bipartisan CREATE Act , which would extend the Section 181 tax deduction and increase the incentive to keep production in the United States. Before Section 181 expired, film and TV studios could claim the deduction if they incurred at least 75% of their production costs in the United States. The provision allowed studios to deduct up to $15 million in production expenses but expired at the end of 2025. The CREATE Ac t would: Extend the expiration date of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 181 from 2025 to 2030. Make it more financially viable to shoot films and television shows in the United States, rather than moving to lower-cost foreign locations. Provide predictable long-term planning through annual cost-of-living adjustments starting in 2027 to ensure that the dollar limits keep pace with rising production costs over time. The CREATE Act is endorsed by the Motion Picture Association, the Independent Film & Television Alliance, the Recording Industry Association of America, the American Association of Independent Music, and the Recording Academy. Senator Warnock also co-leads the recently-introduced the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act , which would establish a federal film tax credit. Senator Warnock has championed workforce development since coming to the Senate, particularly technical colleges and apprenticeship programs that lead to good-paying film industry jobs. ###