The buzz that surrounded Richie Mehta and his first feature Amal was loud and positive last year when it made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.

But that was, as we say, almost a full 12 months ago, and with attention already turning to the new crop of TIFF pics, the excitement that surrounded the India-shot drama has had some time to fade, making it something less than a red-hot release for Seville Pictures, which this week is sending it to one screen each in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

But the picture about a rickshaw driver (Rupinder Nagra) who inherits a fortune has remained on the festival circuit — mostly smaller stops including San Francisco, Whistler and a Bollywood fete in Germany — and is popular with the crowds, picking up a number of people’s choice awards along the way. It also got a mention in Canada’s Top Ten for 2007.

Producer David Miller says Amal‘s festival achievements have helped keep the momentum going and allowed for positive word of mouth to spread.

‘You kind of let it ride its festival success and then use that as a springboard to release the film,’ says Miller, who produces with Steven Bray of Toronto’s Poor Man’s Productions.

Mehta focused on a grassroots initiative to target the Indo-Canadian communities of Toronto and Vancouver. ‘Rupinder and I have been pushing every contact we’ve ever made in various Indian newspapers, radio stations and television shows to try to get the word out,’ he says.

Asian Television Network, which sponsored Amal during TIFF, has also been running coverage and footage it shot of the film during the fest, according to Mehta.

Amal will expand to Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton next week, while it spreads to suburbs of Vancouver and Toronto on Aug. 22.

Mehta believes moviegoers will leave theaters satisfied.

‘It’s just a matter of getting people into theaters,’ he says.

The film has sold to over 10 territories including India, France, Spain and the Middle East, where it will open following the Canadian release. Seville is currently working on a U.S. sale.

Meanwhile, Mongrel Media is releasing the comedy spoof Baghead, from brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal Friday, while documentary Man on Wire bows in Toronto and Vancouver.

Maximum Films is opening the Israeli drama Jellyfish, about three women’s lives in Tel Aviv, in Toronto, while KinoSmith Films bows the aboriginal drama Tkaronto, from Métis filmmaker Shane Belcourt, in Ottawa, followed by Toronto next week.

Among U.S. releases this week is the Seth Rogen comedy Pineapple Express, from Sony, while Ugly Betty‘s America Ferrera fronts the Warner Bros.’ sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.