Entertainment One is to continue building out its Canadian film releasing business, despite market uncertainty.

‘The group remains confident in the business to perform well despite the uncertain economic backdrop and is focused on progressing the group’s strategy in the second half of the financial year,’ E1 said Wednesday as it released its first-half financial results in Britain.

E1 posted a pre-tax loss of $10 million for the six months to Sept. 30, against a loss of $10.2 million last year, on half-year revenue up 18.4% to $318.35, against a year-earlier $214 million.

The Canadian company also recorded EBITDA of $16.5 million, up 17% from $14.8 million in 2007.

The revenue jump was driven mostly by the acquisitions of film distributors Contender in the U.K., Seville Entertainment in the Canadian market, and RCV in the Benelux region.

Subsequent to E1’s latest reporting period, it completed the acquisitions of Barna-Alper Productions, Blueprint Entertainment, Oasis International and Maximum Films to further expand into the Canadian market.

E1, which trades on the London-based AIM exchange, told investors Wednesday that combining Maximum with Montreal-based Seville Entertainment ‘provides the group with a stronger platform to continue growth in the Canadian market.’

The company, which is based in the Cayman Islands, and maintains a headquarters in Toronto, told investors it aims to ‘become the world’s leading independent content ownership and distribution business.’

Should it complete a pending reverse takeover of Halifax-based DHX Media, E1 also aims to have a principal listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange, and a secondary listing on the AIM exchange, with an eye to an eventual London Stock Exchange listing.