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HitPlay Productions

about HitPlay Productions

At HitPlay Productions we are passionate about telling stories that challenge people to see the world and themselves differently. We believe that sharing our stories has the power to change lives.

Great filmmaking is a collaborative process, and so our strength is our team. We work with award-winning producers, directors, cinematographers and editors to create critically acclaimed projects that inspire, captivate, and entertain audiences. Our work has been screened at film festivals around the word from Toronto, to Milan, to Auckland and Sichuan, China.

Over the past 20 years the company’s founder, Nadine Pequeneza, has built strong relationships with Canadian and international broadcasters; including CBC, SRC, PBS, ARTE, TVO and Knowledge Network. The company’s projects have been supported by Telefilm, Ontario Creates, the National Film Board of Canada, Canada Media Fund, Rogers, Bell Media, the Redford Center, Ford Foundation and Perspective Fund.

HitPlay regularly collaborates with foundations and non-profits to develop film engagement campaigns that promote social change. Past campaigns have worked with outreach partners on a wide range of issues, including; criminal justice reform, impact investing and wildlife conservation.

about Nadine Pequeneza

President, Founder

Nadine Pequeneza is an award-winning Producer, Director and Writer specializing in character-driven films that offer unique access to stories about social and environmental justice.

With more than 20 years international experience, she has garnered multiple nominations and awards, including: a Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing in a Documentary, nine CSA and Gemini nominations, Gold and Silver Hugos from the Chicago International Film Festival, a Golden Sheaf Award from the Yorkton Film Festival, and a Silver Gavel honourable mention from the American Bar Association.

Nadine recently completed her first dramatic short (proof of concept) and feature narrative script based on a true story, 1047 DAYS. The short was selected for the CFC/Netflix Calling Card Accelerator and the feature script was short-listed for the 2023 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship and 2021 Whistler Screenwriters Lab.

She is immediate past Chair of the Documentary Organization of Canada and a member of the Canadian Media Producers Association, Directors Guild of Canada and International Documentary Association.  Nadine is also an alumnus of the Fledgling Foundation’s inaugural engagement lab 2014-15. Nadine began her career as a television journalist working for CBC’s flagship current affairs program The National and Canada’s longest running investigative series, CTV’s W5.

about Nadine Pequeneza

  • “

    Last of the Right Whales... another vitally important whale film after Blackfish.

    Alex Billington, FIRSTSHOWING.NET

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    Last of the Right Whales is a visually stunning, emotionally engaging and unexpectedly intense ride for a documentary about marine life. Featuring some truly spectacular footage, Pequeneza’s film serves as a reminder of the majesty of the Right Whales and the importance of reviving the species.

    Steve Norton, ScreenFish

  • “

    A 60-ton right whale comes all the way up to a small boat to meet its photographer...NARW #4615 thrashes about violently for hours, trying to rid himself of the rope that entangles him. These are just some of the many awe-inspiring and anger-inducing images in Nadine Pequeneza’s Last of the Right Whales, a rousing call to action.

    Alex Heeney, Seventh Row

  • “

    Trying to reach across a gulf with empathy, humanity and reason is just about the last thing to expect in Canada's gun control debates.

    Mark Kay, Torontoist

  • “

    The best thing about Pequeneza's approach is her slow, methodical style that gets us right into the debate and her refusal to go for quick fix answers.

    Jim Bawden

  • “

    The gun lobby is becoming a Canadian NRA... this documentary will chill your bones.

    Heather Mallick, Toronto Start

  • “

    Powerful, provocative, philosophical... Road to Mercy is a rumination on assisted death.

    John Doyle, The Globe and Mail

  • “

    Road to Mercy is a deep, aching, finely drawn film.

    Shannon Proudfoot, Maclean's Magazine

  • “

    Road to Mercy gives us a glimpse into the realities - messy, complicated, and heartbreaking - of a national debate that may finally be coming to a head.

    Frederick Blichert, The Tyee

  • “

    Road to Mercy will cause viewers to pause and consider, not only where they stand on the subject of doctor-assisted death but if they'd consider it an option.

    Greg David, TV, Eh?

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    Road to Mercy brings faces, names and emotions to the topic of assisted dying in Canada, where the practice is in its infancy.

    Rachel Phan, Dying with Dignity Canada

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    Road to Mercy explores ethical frontiers of doctor-assisted death.

    Sheryl Ubelacker, The Canadian Press/The Toronto Star

  • “

    Invisible Heart tackles social inequality with vigour. I was enthralled for the entire run-time.

    Jordan Parker, Parker and Pictures

  • “

    Approaching this polarizing issue Pequeneza doesn't insert herself into the film but you can see her own invisible heart as she follows two very human stories about people whose lives have been affected by SIBs.

    Alison Gillmore, Winnipeg Free Press

  • “

    The first documentary on Social Impact Bonds - a two-part interview with Nadine Pequeneza - Director/Producer of The Invisible Heart.

    Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford

  • “

    A good documentary enthralls and informs you, even if you went into it without any clue of what it was about. The strength of The Invisible Heart lies within its cast of characters... the faces of real people are what makes the Heart so potent.

    Trent Wilkie, The Trent Wilkie

  • “

    The Invisible Heart has come to offer both sides of the ongoing SIB debate with sober judgement and a human face.

    Sierra Bilton, Vue Weekly

  • “

    The names Bond: Social Impact Bond. The Invisible Heart questions investors profiting form social services.

    Lee Mannion, Thomson Reuters Foundation News

  • “

    A new documentary shines an important light on a new approach that seeks to radically reshape the way social services are provided.

    Tom Baker, The Spinoff

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    The Invisible Heart takes a deep look at social impact bonds and raises multiple questions for governments, including the idea of the government paying profits to investors.

    Jordan Press, Canadian Press

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    Social impact bonds 'problematic' says director of new social finance documentary The Invisible Heart.

    Danny Glenwright, The Philanthropist

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    The Invisible Heart weighs the ethics of putting human rights causes like housing and education in a relationship with capitalist interests.

    Pat Mullen, POV Magazine

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    This is a very emotional issue for people. There are ideological attachments regarding the role of the state and a mistrust of the motives of the business community.

    Audience Member, Toronto Screening

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    The investors appear clueless about the systemic issues they think they can resolve.

    Eleanor Lipov, Toronto Screening

  • “

    Care is needed to explain how they can be structured terribly, how they can be structured well and that being a new mechanism, a lot of experimentation is to be expected.

    Marie Ang, Ottawa Screening

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    I will be more vigilant about the funding mechanisms for projects in my community.

    Barbara Byers, Vancouver Screening

  • “

    An amazing piece of work, The Invisible Heart, makes a strong case for action on the underlying issues that SIBs seek to address, while illuminating the complexity of the questions about whether profit and social good of this kind can go hand in hand. It raises all the important questions about the role of the state and the role of markets.

    Danielle Martin, Physician, Educator and Author

  • “

    The Invisible Heart offers a provocative and timely account of a critical policy issue that has largely escaped public discussion and debate. Taking the viewer on a fascinating journey from corporate boardrooms to the frontlines of social service delivery, the documentary brings to life the complex story of social impact bonds and is a must see for anyone interested in how markets and finance continue to transform the world in which we live.

    James Williams, Professor York University

  • “

    An important film that highlights both the intended benefits and potential pitfalls of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs). If SIBs are to become as prevalent as their champions hope, then it is crucial that member of the public are well informed about them. This excellent film serves that purpose very successfully.

    Alec Fraser, Policy Innovation Research Unit, University of London

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    Focusing on the US and Canadian experience with Social Impact Bonds (SIBs). The Invisible Heart starkly contrasts the ongoing debate between supporters and detractors of SIBs with the real lives of the people delivering and receiving the services on the ground. This raises some difficult questions pertinent to the times we live in, and the lack of simple answers is reflected in the film's portrayal of the polarised nature of the debate. The documentary highlights the clear need for a more nuanced understanding of when SIBs might be useful, and how to make sure they are effective.

    Nigel Ball, Deputy Director, GO Lab

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    Incredibly important.

    Melissa Harris-Perry, host, MSNBC

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    Top 5 Staff Pick.

    Christian Science Monitor

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    The most chilling documentary I've seen in a long time... Worth every minute... I have been moved, and I'm going to start moving some people.

    Judge Laura Blackburne, host, NAACP "The Crisis Today" radio show

  • “

    Social-justice documentaries aren't always as engaging as you'd like them to be - they can be preachy, decidedly one-sided or two-dimensional. Not so for this little gem... it does a fine job of using one very human story to make a larger point about the criminal justice system. 4 starts (out of 5).

    Erin Sullivan, Orlando Weekly

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    Harrowing... Depicts a justice system that only perpetuates the sort of violence it was intended to keep in check.

    Nina Liss-Schultz, Mother Jones

  • “

    Inside Disaster Haiti really delivers... This is terrific documentary work, not just news reporting. We are truly inside the biggest humanitarian relief effort ever, focusing on the Red Cross and some really great characters. You are really there with them, experiencing their challenges, difficulties and emotions.

    Filmmaker Magnus Isacsson

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    They were determined to cover disaster-relief efforts from the inside, completely embedded with the international Federation of Red Crosses. The result is a gripping three-part documentary... Inside Disaster Haiti deftly captures not only that drama, but the quirks of Haiti itself.

    Kenneth Kidd, The Toronto Star

  • “

    The Haiti earthquake has generated a mountain of news and information, but little in the way of thoughtful documentary coverage has surfaced until now... a more complete, nuanced story of Haiti and its people as they rebuild from the earthquake.

    Sudha Krishna, Now Public

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    Spares viewers nothing in this raw look at life in Haiti after the quake.

    Constance Droganes, CTV

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    If you want to know more, if you want to be moved, don't miss this searing documentary series.

    Chris Jones

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    Next of Kin should inspire audiences to look at their communities and neighbourhoods a little differently - and to appreciate their family members near and far.

    Pat Mullen, POV Magazine

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    How youth support staff are using their sleuthing skills to connect teens with family.

    CBC The Current, Host Piya Chattopadhyay

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    The documentary is an eye-opener into our fraught child welfare system and hints at ways of breaking the negative cycle that so many families fall into.

    Tiffy Thompson, She Does the City

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    A unique program offered by a St. Catharines program for at risk youth is the focus of a new documentary, premiering on CBC.

    Allan Benner, The St. Catharines Standard

creative collaborators

Ricardo Acosta

Editor

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Ricardo Acosta

Editor

An internationally renowned Film Editor, Story Editor and Creative Consultant, Ricardo Acosta has been working in the film industry for over 25 years. His films have premiered at major festivals, including: Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca and Berlinale. He is an Emmy winner, and regular nominee at the Genie, Gemini, CCE and CSA awards. Recent credits include: Once Upon a Time in Venezuela, Silence of Others, 15 to Life: Kenneth's Story, Marmato. Ricardo is an alumnus of the Cuban Film Institute in Havana and the Sundance Institute where he continues to serve as a teacher and Adviser for the Documentary Editing and Story Lab and The Composer and Sound Design Lab.

Katie Chipperfield

Editor

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Katie Chipperfield

Editor

Katie Chipperfield is a film editor who is passionate about collaborating on stories that generate social change. Her most recent credits include the dramatic CBC mini-series TRICKSTER, and the theatrical documentary INCONVENIENT INDIAN. Both titles premiered at TIFF in 2020, with INCONVENIENT INDIAN winning the People's Choice and Best Canadian Feature Awards. Other credits include; RISE (Viceland), which won the 2018 Canadian Screen Award for Best Documentary Series; NEXT OF KIN (CBC), directed by Nadine Pequeneza and ONE LEG IN, ONE LEG OUT (CBC), directed by Lisa Rideout. Katie was nominated for a Canadian Cinema Editor Award for her work on NUUCA.

Stan Barua

Director of Photography

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Stan Barua

Director of Photography

Stan Barua CSC is a versatile cinematographer who is as comfortable with lyrical cinema, crisp commercials as with tough documentaries. His extensive experience as Director of Photography spans over 20 years’ diverse work with European, North and Latin American, as well as African directors, producers and crews across five continents. Stan has won multiple awards for his dramatic, documentary and commercial work including: Best Photography in Docudrama from the Canadian Society Of Cinematographers and 4 Gemini nominations and a Canadian Screen Award nomination for his photography. Stan speaks fluent Swahili, is happily married with children and is based in Canada.

Joanne Jackson

Executive Producer

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Joanne Jackson

Executive Producer

Joanne Jackson of Long Haul Big Heart Productions is an award-winning documentary and television producer who has been the driving force behind many compelling, thought provoking programs over the last twenty years. She is collaborating with HitPlay Productions as an Executive Producer and Impact Producer for The Urban Whale. Joanne recently was the lead producer for multi-award winning feature documentaries The Woman Who Loves Giraffes (2018-19) and The Messenger (2015-16). Jackson previously produced hundreds of hours of productions as in-house producer or production executive for three networks (YTV, WTN and Discovery Canada).

Stefan Randström

Cinematographer

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Stefan Randström

Cinematographer

Stefan Randström started his career as a Finnish TV host and journalist before immigrating to Canada in 1993. Since settling in Toronto with his family, Stefan has worked as a DOP for television and film productions. In 2011 Stefan was nominated for Best Documentary Cinematography by the Canadian Society of Cinematographers for his work on INSIDE DISASTER: HAITI. In the two previous years he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Cinematography: in 2010 for WHICH WAY TO ARVIAT, a travel adventure series for National Geographic Channel, and in 2009 AT THE TABLE WITH…, a biography series for the Food Network.

Sholeh Fabbri

Impact Producer

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Sholeh Fabbri

Impact Producer

Sholeh Fabbri has been producing award-winning content for two decades and has received three Canadian Screen Award nominations. For over seven years, as the Executive Producer of Entertainment Tonight Canada, Fabbri built the ET Canada brand by employing innovative growth strategies, producing engaging content, and developing integrated campaigns for broadcast and online. Her award-winning special Canada Together: In Concert showcased superstars including Shania Twain and Christopher Plummer to raise over $300,000 at the start of the Covid-19 shutdowns. In 2021 Fabbri launched Good Measure Productions, focusing her talents at the intersection of film production and impact. She is collaborating with HitPlay Productions on The Urban Whale.

Dave Draper

Sound Recordist

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Dave Draper

Sound Recordist

David Draper is a Toronto based Location Sound Recordist. Over the last 25 years 41 countries have been visited and many Production Companies and Networks collaborated with. When not working in Documentary, Feature, Series or Commercial settings David enjoys music production and development in his home studio.  His top-level equipment package and sincere dedication to his craft has established him in the world of Sound Recording. Teamwork above all.