Mongrel Media is taking advantage of the post-Oscar buzz surrounding The Lives of Others, and is expanding the release of the German spy thriller in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and opening in new cities — following its win for best foreign-language picture at Sunday night’s Academy Awards.

‘With the Oscar win, we have expanded to a couple more screens in those cities and we’re also expanding to markets like Calgary and Edmonton a little quicker than planned,’ says Tom Alexander, director of theatrical releasing at the Toronto distributor.

Lives, about East Germany’s secret police, expands by one screen in both Toronto and Vancouver on Friday, bringing its total count to eight in English Canada. The film opens in Calgary on March 9 and Edmonton March 16, with the number of screens still to be determined.

The film, from rookie director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, generated nearly $270,000 at the domestic box office in its first two weeks. It opened on Feb. 9.

‘It’s been doing very well… it’s such a great movie,’ says Alexander, adding that Mongrel has ‘increased advertising expenditures to take advantage of the awareness of the film.’

Lives beat out other contenders including Deepa Mehta’s Water, also handled by Mongrel, and critics’ favorite Pan’s Labyrinth, which opened here on Dec. 25 through Odeon Films. The film by Mexico’s Guillermo del Toro has made more than $5 million at the Canuck box office to date.

‘We are pleased with the recognition Pan’s Labyrinth has received and are happy with its performance to date,’ says Odeon president Bryan Gliserman, though there have been no changes to its marketing.

Meanwhile, The Danish Poet, winner of best animated short for Montreal filmmaker Torill Kove, makes its television premiere on CBC this Sunday, as part of the Canadian Reflections program.