About Pelee Entertainment
Compelling stories. Captivating characters.
At Pelee Entertainment, we believe in the inspiring and transformative power of storytelling and the strength of diversity. We aim to reflect this in all we do.
Pelee Entertainment is a film, television, and digital media company whose work is garnering accolades across North America. The company produces drama, documentary, and branded entertainment for television, theatrical, and digital release.
Founded by award-winning producer and writer Heidi Lasi, Pelee Entertainment is on track to become a strong creative and strategic force in the market and is positioning itself to be a leading global player in entertainment.
our latest news
know her name: canadian premiere in october
September 2024 - Pelee Entertainment is thrilled to announce the Canadian premiere of Know Her Name at the Hamilton Film Festival in October.
GRANDMA VS. CHEF BEGINS PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY
August 2024 - Principal photography begins on the light-hearted cooking show called Grandma vs. Chef. Co-produced with Katia Sinchenko of Nu Production, the series promises to bring a smile to your face and inspire new ways to fill your belly with classic recipes from our fabulous grandmothers and chefs.
If you - or a grandmother you love - are interested in participating, please see our auditions page.
Pelee selected for Phase 2 of the Canada-France Séries Lab
July 2024 - Pelee Entertainment is pleased to be selected for Phase 2 of the Canada-France Séries Lab which will be held virtually and in person from September 2024 to March 2025, working with Canadian partners Laura Keightley of Create to Elevate and Sharon Buckingham of TSB Productions and French partners Will Productions.
Super Channel commissions feature doc Know Her Name
June 2024 - “Super Channel has commissioned a feature documentary from prodcos Creatorland and Pelee Entertainment about how the legacy of women filmmakers, particularly those from underrepresented communities, has faced historical erasure.
Know Her Name is in post-production and will debut on Super Channel in 2025 before heading to Hollywood Suite in 2026, which has second window rights.”
pelee entertainment selected for canada-france series lab at series mania
March 2024 – Producer Heidi Lasi of Pelee Entertainment, in partnership with Ktly and TSB Productions, has been selected for the Canada-France Series Lab at Series Mania.
The main goal of the Canada-France Series Lab is to encourage and facilitate co-productions of fiction series between Canadian and French producers. The Canada-France Series Lab offers them new meeting opportunities and fosters the development of projects with strong international potential in a competitive environment. It is a joint venture by Series Mania Forum, Telefilm Canada, and the CNC, in partnership with the French Embassy in Canada, the Embassy of Canada in France and the Canada Media Fund.
feature length documentary KNOW HER NAME BEGINS PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY
November 2023 – Producer Heidi Lasi of Pelee Entertainment, in partnership with Creatorland, has begun principal photography on Know Her Name for broadcast on Super Channel and Hollywood Suite with the support of CMF, Ontario Creates, and Inside Out’s Re:Focus Fund.
Directed by and co-produced with Creatorland’s Zainab Muse, the feature-length documentary delves into a unique film history.
Pelee Entertainment co-development project selected for cmpa’s international coproduction accelerator program
November 2021 – Pelee Entertainment is working with Sharon Buckingham of TSB Productions, Laura Keightley, and Judith Keightley on The Square Well: The Nancy Cunard Story. The project was recently selected for the CMPA’s International Coproduction Accelerator Program.
Heidi Lasi, Pelee Entertainment president/producer, states, “It’s an honor to be selected for this program and to be part of this ambitious cohort. We’re looking forward to moving our project along to its next steps and thank the CMPA for their support of our project and for this excellent program.”
Pelee Entertainment project shortlisted for Forest city film festival pitch event
November 2021 – Pelee Entertainment's producer Heidi Lasi is pleased to be working with director Penny Eizenga on her feature film Pretend to Sleep. The duo will be at the Forest City Film Festival to pitch their project in front of a jury.
Playback writes: "Six films have been selected to pitch at the Feature Film Project Pitch event at the Ontario Screen Creator’s Conference in London, ON. The selected projects are Penny Eizenga’s Pretend to Sleep (Pelee Entertainment); Geordie Sabbagh’s Audit (tm words); Emma Jean Sutherland’s The Day Lacey Called (Third Culture Films); Sean Cisterna’s One Night; Dennis Nicholson’s Hell’s Bells; and Greg Segar’s Jane (Matchbox Pictures). The films were selected by consults and board members of London’s Forest City Film Festival.
The judging panel includes House and The Good Doctor creator David Shore; Paige Murray, executive in charge of development, drama at CBC; Greg Jeffs, client services at William F. White International; and Kelly Payne, director, business affairs, production funding at Blue Ant Media. The total prize for the winning pitch amounts to $60,000 to cover production costs for their film, which must be partially shot in London to qualify. This year marks the first time films outside of London were eligible to apply."
Pelee Entertainment extends their congratulations to all the teams that will be pitching.
Pelee Entertainment selected for the whistler producers lab 2021
May 2021 – Pelee Entertainment is thrilled to be selected for the Whistler Producers Lab along with writer Meeshelle Neal on feature film Sweet Release.
From the Whistler Film Festival website:
The WFF Producer Lab is an intensive multi-phase project development program designed to accelerate the careers of up to six independent Canadian producers through the development of their original, scripted, feature projects.
Producer Heidi Lasi (left) of Pelee Entertainment with Meeshelle Neal, writer of feature film Sweet Release
Pelee Entertainment president/producer volunteers on wift toronto showcase jury
March 2021 – Pelee Entertainment president/producer Heidi Lasi joins the jury of the 12th Annual WIFT Toronto Showcase which highlights the creativity, talent, and diversity of the community.
Heidi Lasi, producer and president of Pelee Entertainment, states, “I feel honored to champion the talented creators in our community through the WIFT Toronto Showcase.”
She adds, “The filmmakers did not make it easy for us. The entrants demonstrated so much talent and beautiful storytelling, it was hard to make the final selections. My congratulations to all the filmmakers, cast, and crew of each of the productions and a special shout out to all of this year’s winners.”
Pelee Entertainment selected to participate in RDVCanada Meet the Series program
December 2020 – Pelee Entertainment is pleased to announce that they will be participating in the new RDVCANADA initiative called Meet the Series. You can read the announcement on the RDVCanada website:
Heidi Lasi, producer and president of Pelee Entertainment, states, “We are thrilled to be part of this exciting new program and look forward to meeting international partners at markets in 2021. It’s an honor to be selected and we send our heartiest congratulations to the other Canadian producers who are participating alongside us.”
Supporting the local filmmaking community: Digi60 jury
December 2020 - Pelee Entertainment president Heidi Lasi is pleased to support up-and-coming filmmakers by sitting on the jury of Digi60. Their vision is to help build a community of Ottawa filmmakers who create, foster, and support independent, sustainable, local filmmaking.
Heidi states, “We are pleased to support Digi60 in fulfilling their vision and mandate to provide opportunities for new and emerging filmmakers to create and learn, expand their network, and multiply their skills. We wish the filmmakers all the best in creating their visions and bringing them to life on the screen.”
girl friday trailer released on facebook and youtube
November 2020 - Pelee Entertainment has released the trailer for the Girl Friday series. Penned and co-produced by Margaret Hoffman, directed by Penny Eizenga, produced by Heidi Lasi, and featuring Gina Phillips in the starring role, Girl Friday is capturing the attention of target audiences who are hoping to see the series come to screens in 2021.
View the 2.5 minute trailer on YouTube or Facebook.
Special thanks to Ruckify for their support.
Pelee entertainment’s girl Friday selected for incubator
August 5, 2020 - WIFT-Toronto recently selected Girl Friday for their Scripted Digital Series Incubator program, an intensive program for writers and producers focused on script development, casting, audience development/discoverability, pitching, and financing for digital platforms. Pelee Entertainment Producer Heidi Lasi is co-producing the comedy series with writer/creator/co-producer Margaret Hoffman (La Matadora).
“Margaret and I thrilled to be participating in this excellent program and taking our project Girl Friday next level,” states Heidi Lasi.
Pelee Entertainment project know her name selected by inside out for re:focus fund
July 9, 2020 - President Heidi Lasi is pleased to announce the documentary project Know Her Name that Pelee Entertainment is co-developing with Wingd (with funding from CMF and Hollywood Suite) has received support from the Inside Out Festival’s Re:Focus Fund.
She states, “We’re so pleased to be among the group of amazing filmmakers who are also recipients of the fund and are looking forward to the next steps in creating our feature length documentary celebrating the contributions of women to filmmaking.”
Pelee Entertainment president co-writing and co-producing children’s web series
September 2019 - Pelee Entertainment President Heidi Lasi is co-writing and co-producing ARA’S IMAGINARIUM, along with co-writer/co-producer Sharon Buckingham (TSB Productions), and co-producers Najeeb Mirza (Oxus Films) and Hamilton-Mehta Productions. The animated children’s web series features 12 year old Ara as she embarks on a series of adventures.
Pelee Entertainment partner Susan rodgers in production on feature film still the water
April 2019 - Production is currently underway in P.E.I. for author Susan Rodgers’ feature film debut Still the Water, wrapping on May 4. Rodgers is the author of the book series Drifters, which has been optioned by Pelee Entertainment president Heidi Lasi and producer Sharon Buckingham.
Read the Playback article.
Pelee Entertainment selected to participate in fin strategic partners in halifax
August 2019 - Pelee Entertainment, in partnership with TSB Productions, is honoured to be selected to participate in FIN in Halifax to present their project DRIFTERS to domestic and international partners, based on the best-selling novels by Susan Rodgers.
#GivethegiftofWIFT
December 2018 - Pelee Entertainment president Heidi Lasi took part in WIFT-Toronto’s #GivethegiftofWIFT fundraising campaign by participating in a videotaped interview.
She states, “Though I prefer to be behind the camera, I can’t think of a better reason to be in front of it. WIFT-Toronto has been an incredible, positive force for women in the industry for many years and it’s an honour to support them in their fundraising efforts. Many thanks to WIFT-Toronto and York University’s Schulich School of Business for allowing me to participate in the Media Leadership Program and to Hollywood Suite for the bursary opportunity.”
Watch the video featuring WIFT Executive Director Heather Webb, Hollywood Suite VP Julie Kumaria, and other participants.
Pelee Entertainment selected to participate in fin (formerly strategic partners) in halifax
September 2018 - Pelee Entertainment, in partnership with TSB Productions, was honoured to be selected to participate in FIN (formerly Strategic Partners) to meet with partners and pitch their project HARM’S WAY.
Pelee Entertainment invited to participate in Los Angeles mission
August 2018 - Pelee Entertainment, in partnership with TSB Productions, was honored to be selected by the Canadian Media Producers Association to participate in the trade mission to Los Angeles to pitch their project HARM’S WAY to broadcasters.
Media Leadership Program: WIFT-Toronto and Schulich School of Business
January 2018 - Pelee Entertainment’s president Heidi Lasi has been selected to participate in the Media Leadership Program offered by WIFT-Toronto in partnership with York University’s Schulich School of Business.
The Media Leadership Program offers a unique immersive learning experience that combines business school teaching from Schulich MBA faculty with best practices from high-level industry executives. Schulich School of Business is consistently ranked as one of the top business schools in the world.
Heidi Lasi states, "“In an industry undergoing profound transformations on so many levels, we need leadership more than ever. The Media Leadership Program is an amazing opportunity to do just that. The program prepared me in ways I could not imagine and encouraged me to lean in to the changes that we are currently facing and that will continue for the foreseeable future.”
FRANCES LOVES OSCAR WILDE short-listed by the Harold Greenberg Script Development Program
March 2017 - Pelee Entertainment is delighted to announce FRANCES LOVES OSCAR WILDE was short-listed by the Harold Greenberg Script Development Program, 2017.
They write: "In Victorian Canada, an artist tenaciously loves Oscar Wilde, enduring his marriage to another woman and then coping with his emerging homosexual lifestyle, until she is forced to change to realize what true happiness really is. Phenomenal character development with exposition well disguised in the dialogue, the script's pacing is steady, well orchestrated and crafted. This important, little-known Canadian artist's story would be a perfect fit for a CBC/BBC movie or mini-series."
Best Documentary Award for The Oasis Affair
November 2017 - Pelee Entertainment is thrilled to announce it has won the Best Documentary award at the OWTFF Film Festival in Toronto for THE OASIS AFFAIR. OWTFF celebrates ingenuity, craft, and creativity in filmmaking around the world with entrants and winners from China, the Czech Republic, United States, Canada, and many other countries.
Director/Producer Heidi Lasi says, "Being selected by OWTFF is an honour and attending the festival was an amazing experience: meeting filmmakers from around the world was a highlight and very inspiring."
The Oasis Affair was financed by BravoFactual/BellMedia and co-produced by Pelee Entertainment and Pat McGowan of inMotion.
FRANCES LOVES OSCAR WILDE long-listed
2016 - Pelee Entertainment is pleased to announce FRANCES LOVES OSCAR WILDE has been long-listed by the National Screen Institute’s Features First Program.
IN DISTRIBUTION:
the Oasis Affair
A Montreal businesswoman's life is turned upside down when she is sued by a giant manufacturer in a David and Goliath battle over her company's name. Social media comes to the rescue.
IN DEVELOPMENT:
Sweet Release
A dramatic science fiction magical short film that takes us through life, love and letting go.
IN DEVELOPMENT:
frances loves oscar wilde
"In Victorian Canada, an artist tenaciously loves Oscar Wilde, enduring his marriage to another woman and then coping with his emerging homosexual lifestyle, until she is forced to change to realize what true happiness really is. Phenomenal character development with exposition well disguised in the dialogue..."
