Capitalizing on controversy surrounding the film’s release in India, Behaviour Communications will rerelease Deepa Mehta’s Fire, beginning this Friday, in three Canadian cities, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

‘This is to show support for Deepa’s artistic vision,’ says Andy Myers, senior vp Toronto for Behaviour, which also owns Canadian rights to Mehta’s follow-up to Fire, Earth.

After recently opening in India, Fire was shut down in several major cinemas following violent attacks on the venues by the Hindu fundamentalist Shiv Sena party.

Fire was originally released domestically in September ’97 and Myers says the story of a lesbian love affair between two Indian women has grossed over $200,000 in Canada so far.

In other Behaviour news, the company has acquired Canadian rights to a bevy of features nominated by their respective countries to compete for the best foreign-language film nomination from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

All of the acquisitions were made through Behaviour’s first-look output deal with Sony Pictures Classics and include Central Station from Brazil, Tango from Argentina, Dream Life of Angels from France and Run Lola Run from Germany.