ABOUT PIER 21 FILMS

Established in 2011, Pier 21 Films is a prominent television production company dedicated to bringing exceptional Canadian content to the global market. With notable achievements such as three seasons of the acclaimed satirical news series “The Beaverton” for CTV, three seasons of CBC’s “Run The Burbs,” and the upcoming productions “Late Bloomer” and “Don’t Even” for Crave, Pier 21 Films has consistently delivered the best in original entertainment.

At the helm of Pier 21 Films is a leadership team with an impressive, shared history of collaboration, spanning multiple decades. Their invaluable contributions have played a pivotal role in the success of numerous Canadian projects and an ever-expanding development slate. Driven by a shared vision, the team firmly believes in the immense potential of showcasing distinct Canadian voices on the global stage. Anchored in this belief, we are dedicated to producing extraordinary, original stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.

LINKEDIN

OUR TEAM

LASZLO BARNA

FOUNDER

With 30+ years in the film and television industry, award-winning producer Laszlo Barna is well-known for his creative excellence, exceptional craft, and dedication to gripping storytelling. Laszlo’s productions have been recognized worldwide and have received numerous national and international awards. A staple of the Canadian screen industry, Laszlo sold his company, Barna-Alper Productions, to eOne in 2008. In 2010, he formed Pier 21 Films to pursue his own projects. Laszlo has served on several boards including the Canada Media Fund and Film Ontario and held the role of Chair of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA).

NICOLE BUTLER

CO-CEO

Nicole Butler, Co-CEO alongside Vanessa Steinmetz, brings more than 20 years of experience in developing and producing some of Canada’s best-known scripted and unscripted projects. Combining creativity and financial acumen, Nicole oversees all new project development, provides leadership in production, and business and financial direction for Pier 21 Films. Nicole held senior roles with Barna-Alper and eOne, has freelanced as a series producer and line producer, was Producer of 3 seasons of “The Beaverton” and is now an Executive Producer on all Pier 21 projects.

VANESSA STEINMETZ

CO-CEO

With over 20 years of experience in television production, Vanessa Steinmetz Co-CEO and Executive Producer alongside Nicole Butler, leads the creative and business strategies for the company. Vanessa previously worked at Barna-Alper and eOne and ran her own consulting company Stone Carver Media where she provided structural financing expertise to independent producers. With deep roots in the Canadian production landscape, and work on over 150 unscripted and scripted productions, Vanessa is also an active Board Member for Film Ontario and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA).

KAREN TSANG

SVP, CREATIVE AFFAIRS

As SVP of Creative Affairs at Pier 21 Films, Karen Tsang collaborates with some of Canada’s most exciting talent to develop comedy and drama series for the Canadian and international marketplace. She’s passionate about creator-driven stories and fostering shows that explore characters and themes that have been underrepresented on screen. She is an Executive Producer of the highly successful comedy series, RUN THE BURBS, created by and starring Andrew Phung, currently available on CBC. Before joining Pier 21 in 2020, Karen spent eight years working in scripted content at the CBC most recently as Executive in Charge of Production, Comedy.

KRISTEN DE FILIPPIS

HEAD OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Kristen De Filippis began her film career in the late 1990s as a story co-ordinator in kids’ television. She moved over to the corporate side in 2004, where she was Drama and Factual Coordinator at Barna-Alper Productions. Kristen joined Pier 21 in 2017 and is currently Head of Business Affairs, working closely with the creative and executive team in overseeing all business and legal aspects of the company's projects from development through to production and delivery.

NAFISA MURJI

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Driven by her love of storytelling and passion for working closely with creators of all disciplines, Nafisa has 8+ years of experience in content and talent development within the Canadian film and television industry. Prior to joining Pier 21 Films in 2022, Nafisa was the director of talent development programs at the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, where she implemented content and professional development strategies across a number of initiatives.

JENNIFER CARSON

BUSINESS AFFAIRS
COORDINATOR

Jennifer joined Pier 21 as a Business Affairs Coordinator in 2021 and has over 12 years of experience in Film and TV production. Jennifer has worked on major studio feature films such as JUMPER and CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN 2, as well as Canadian and US television productions including DARK ORACLE, KOJAK and THE FAMOUS JETT JACKSON. Jennifer also brings current industry-specific training with a post-grad certificate for Film and Television Business to her role with the team at Pier 21.

ELIDA DIZON

OFFICE MANAGER/EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Graduating in 2019 with BA in Psychology from McMaster University, Elida has held a variety of administrative roles and has honed her communication skills as a community researcher and writer. A vital part of the Pier 21 Films since August 2022, Elida brings her curiosity and enthusiasm for storytelling and creativity to her everyday work, liaising with clients and external office personnel, and ensuring the overall organization of the team.

CHRISTINA CARVALHO

PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE/CONSULTANT

Christina Carvahlo is an award-winning documentary producer with 15+ years of experience in the television industry, with a strong focus on factual series. She has a passion for facilitating authentic and meaningful storytelling, navigating between the both production and creative elements. Most recently she's produced the award-winning web series Farm Crime, the TIFF Primetime selection Lido TV, and the upcoming CBC documentary series Swan Song. Her other credits include Hello Goodbye, In the Making, and Ever Deadly.

BONNIE DO

BUSINESS AFFAIRS/
CONSULTANT

Bonnie has worked in film and television as a Business Affairs Specialist for over 10 years. She began her career at Telefilm in Vancouver and quickly moved into a Business Affairs role at Serendipity Point Films where she worked on several productions including Atom Egoyan’s Remember, Francois Girard’s The Song of Names and David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future. Bonnie is an alumnus of the 2022 Canadian Film Centre’s Norman Jewison Film Program’s Producers’ Lab and is currently also producing her own projects.

9 Price Street, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1Z1
+1 416 967 7091