Of the four Canadian features that competed last week at Sundance, all have gone home empty-handed, both in terms of awards and North American distribution deals — a disappointing end to what looked to be a banner year, though they were certainly not alone. After a series of deals early in the festival, the business side of Sundance came to an uncharacteristic halt midway through. Even Lee Daniels’ Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, winner of three awards including the grand jury prize for U.S. narrative feature, had yet to close a distribution deal by Tuesday morning.

However, there is still hope, especially as many of the titles will now screen in the European Film Market that coincides with next month’s Berlin International Film Festival.

‘If it was a quieter Sundance on some fronts, we are extremely pleased with the successful premieres of the Canadian films with audiences, critics and distributors in Park City,’ says Brigitte Hubmann, Telefilm Canada’s head of national and international business development, who was in Park City promoting the Sundance crop.

A few sales ‘are expected shortly,’ she adds. ‘Sundance has provided the fuel for these films to distinguish themselves in Berlin.’

E1 Films International’s Charlotte Mickie, who was selling Cherien Dabis’ Amreeka and David Bezmozgis’ Victoria Day, seemed confident. Regarding Victoria Day, Mickie says there was ‘definite interest’ on the sales side from U.S. distributors. Amreeka, a Canada/U.S./Kuwait coproduction, was sold to France after a bidding war. ‘I can’t emphasize the strength of press and audience reaction,’ Mickie says of the film.

According to Hubmann, the other two Canadian films in competition — the docs Nollywood Babylon, directed by Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal, and Prom Night in Mississippi, from director Paul Saltzman — both ‘received strong interest from U.S. buyers and are expecting to close deals soon.’

Although Canada missed out at the awards, the short Treevenge picked up an honorable mention for short filmmaking.