Homolka film out Jan. 20

The Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario, by RICK WESTHEAD,STAFF REPORTER, Jan. 10, 2006.

Karla, the film depicting the murders of teenagers Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy, will be released Canada-wide on Jan. 20, Montreal-based Christal Films announced this morning.

A spokesperson for Christal, a production and distribution company created in 2001 by former Lions Gate Entertainment executive Christian Larouche, wouldn't say which theatre chains have agreed to show the controversial movie.

The news that the film will hit Canadian screens this month comes after Tim Danson, a lawyer for the French and Mahaffy families, told the Star in October that they would try to block its release.

Quantum Entertainment, the Hollywood film company behind Karla, agreed to remove several scenes including one eight-frame shot that depicted nudity after allowing Danson to screen the film.

Canada's major theatre chains had said that they wouldn't consider showing the controversial movie unless Quantum signed a contract with a Canadian distributor. Even with a distribution agreement in Canada, it's unclear what rating Karla might receive. Violent films typically receive a restricted rating, which limits their potential audience to those 18 years of age and older.

It's possible that Quantum could turn a fortune off the movie even if it didn't appear on a single Canadian screen.

Even without selling a single movie ticket or DVD in Canada, a Quantum Entertainment executive said Karla might garner as much as $100 million (U.S.) worth of revenue following its scheduled release after Christmas, bolstered by a "best-case" estimate of $50 million in U.S. ticket sales.

Quantum also produced Fortunes of War, starring Martin Sheen, and Goodbye America with James Brolin. Financed by a small group of individual investors, Karla could generate as much as $7 million in foreign distribution rights in countries such as the U.K. and Australia and another $30 million in DVD sales and rentals, Quantum has said.

It might also generate income from sales to pay television companies like HBO or Showtime in the U.S. An industry source said Quantum is also negotiating a deal for U.S. distribution with companies including Vancouver's Lions Gate Entertainment and Sony Pictures.

Karla, which stars Laura Prepon of the TV comedy, That `70s Show, was made for about $5 million, less than one-tenth the budget of some of today's large-scale Hollywood blockbusters.