M ontreal’s Incendo and Los Angeles-based Nicely Entertainment have signed a co-development and co-production partnership.

The partnership is on a project-by-project basis starting with the scripted limited series The Christmas Checklist, which is set to start principal photography sometime this year in and around Montreal.

Incendo and Nicely Entertainment will develop and produce the television series, with Incendo handling distribution in English and French-speaking Canada, and Nicely Entertainment overseeing the U.S. and all other international territories.

The four-episode series is bound for a yet-to-be announced Canadian broadcaster and scheduled for release in December.

Lisa Hepner (A Christmas Wish in Hudson, Christmas Lovers Anonymous) wrote The Christmas Checklist, about a woman named Emily who tries to fulfil her mother’s last wish to complete a 12-task Christmas checklist before Dec. 25. When a freelance writer named Noah writes about her story for the local paper, the piece becomes a personally cherished one.

Graham Ludlow (pictured left), production and development executive at Incendo, said in a statement that the companies intend to bring the story “to screens around the globe.”

“Incendo and Nicely Entertainment have been looking for an opportunity to collaborate and with The Christmas Checklist, it’s a perfect match to kick-off our partnership,” added Vanessa Shapiro (pictured right), CEO, Nicely Entertainment and executive producer.