Las Vegas: From a programming distributor’s pov, the Internet, for now, is a great way to sell and preview product to international buyers, says Jill Keenleyside, who loves her yearly trips to natpe but also relishes the new and potential opportunities technology affords her trade.

Keenleyside, who handles international distribution of an impressive 4,000-plus-title catalogue from her home in Ottawa for Toronto-based Catalyst Entertainment and its strategic mega-partner, New York-headquartered Gullane Entertainment, is a perfect example of the new-age distributor.

And even in a time where buying off the shelf is becoming more a thing of the past – with broadcasters taking a greater interest in development and producers seeking the clout of broadcaster backing – Keenleyside found opportunity at this year’s natpe to sell shows new and ancient.

For instance, Hallmark Networks finalized a deal with Keenleyside to buy three Canadian films: Ann Wheeler’s 1989 film Bye Bye Blues (Italy, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe, Middle East), Breakthrough Entertainment’s Shadow Lake (Australia, Eastern Europe, Middle East) and Catalyst/Tetra Films’ What Katy Did (Italy).

But the real push for the Catalyst/Gullane distribution team was the Catalyst/TeleImages Creations series The Longhouse Tales, which Keenleyside sold to the Middle East and Africa, and Entrada, a gourmet excursion series, which received an offer for 26 half-hours from Discovery Latin America.

And while 130 x 5 eps of Thomas the Tank Engine were sold to the Middle East, Thomas and the Magic Railroad is still finding its place in the world, and Cinderella and Me, a Catalyst/bbc copro, is still looking for prebuys.

But while Catalyst is enjoying increased traffic since its rebranding under the Gullane umbrella, heightened competition, the upsurge of specialty channels and the subsequently lower licence fees remain a challenge, says Keenleyside, who favors natpe over other international markets. "People take more time [at natpe] than at mip. They’re more ready to take a chance. Being in the u.s., it’s the let’s-make-a-deal model."

Breakthrough Films and Television may well agree. The Toronto-based producer/distributor closed a deal at the market for 65 episodes of Little Miracles to Channel Health (u.k.), including pan-European rights, Scandinavia, Benelux and Russia.

Life Network also recently ordered the popular docusoap series for another 26 episodes.

As for new product, Montreal’s The Multimedia Group of Canada launched 15 half-hours of Frank’s Minutes, a teen/adult animated series that combines elements of sketch comedy with comedic storylines. The sketches are the brainchild of radio veteran Francois Perusse.

Sales have been concluded with tva, Germany’s Kirch Media, GmbH & Co, KgaA, and Canal+ International for Scandinavia and Benelux.

Departing from the animation front, Cinar launched a new live-action mow, Both Sides of the Law, a drama about two boys from a crime-riddled neighborhood whose friendship is challenged when one decides to take the righteous road and the other chooses a life of crime.

The feature-length project, distributed internationally by Cinar, is directed by Bruce Neybaur, produced by Serge Denis and exec produced by Peter Moss and Andrew Porporino.

And while a Canadian broadcaster has yet to be attached, Cinar closed two sales to Latin America at natpe.

Vancouver’s Sextant International hit the market for the first time with two new projects, the one-off doc Out of the Fire for wtn and drama series Arthur Avenue.

Out of the Fire is a Holocaust documentary in which writer/director/producer Shelley Saywell of Bishari Film Productions (Crimes of Honour) accompanies Canadian Faye Schulman as she travels back to her home in Belarus, where she was living in 1942 when the Germans invaded. The doc chronicles her escape from death, which she managed because of her talent with a camera – the Nazis felt they could make use of her skills – while her parents, brother, two sisters and their children died in concentration camps.

Arthur Avenue, a 13-part, one-hour series set in the Bronx, which follows the daily lives of three buddies who watch out for each other in their neighbourhood laden with wise guys, is in early development at Sextant Entertainment.

The company is also in production on a handful of projects with Hallmark Productions and Granada tv.

With Hallmark, Sextant is coproducing two miniseries: Voyage of the Unicorn, a four-part, one-hour miniseries based on Tanith Lee’s best-selling novel Voyage of the Bassett; and Undaunted Courage, eight hours about renowned u.s. explorers Lewis and Clark.

Hallmark and Sextant are also partnered on three mows: Snow White for abc, Prince Charming and The Nutcracker.

With Granada, Sextant is coproducing a cgi/puppet series, Please Don’t Eat the Kids. The 26-part, half-hour comedy show, to be jointly distributed by Sextant International and Granada International, is described as "Simpsons with Fur."

Finally, Sheldon Wiseman was milling about the market floor, Leslie Nielsen in tow, touting Amberwood Entertainment’s slate of new projects in development.

Specifically, the Ottawa-based toonco was looking for presales on its new preschool series The Secret World of Benjamin the Bear, 13 half-hours (a la Raggedy Ann and Andy) about a teddy bear and his family who come to life when they are left alone. *