The producer of Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies wants to capitalize on the film’s considerable international buzz to try to sell the critically acclaimed flick to one of the toughest audiences for art films on the planet: English Canada.

Incendies will be released in Toronto and Vancouver January 21, just a few days before the Oscar’s announce their nominations January 25 – the film is Canada’s submission to the Hollywood competition. The film will also screen at the Sundance Film Festival, which opens January 20.

“We are totally aware that we can count on our hands the number of Quebec – and Canadian – films which have done well in Canada,” says micro_scope’s Luc Dery.

“I think we have a chance. Of course the success it’s had in Quebec will be unattainable, but we hope it won’t just show for more than two weeks.”

While Dery and the distributor, Les Films Christal’s Christian Larouche, initially wanted to launch the film in English Canada last fall, they decided to hold off after the film started to do so well both with local audiences and on the international festival circuit.

The film adaptation of Wajdi’s Mouawad’s play was recently named one of the five best foreign films by the U.S. National Board of Review and won two prizes at the Locarno Film Festival in August. It was also named best Canadian feature at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“The film has potential,” says Dery. “And we think January is the best time to release it. That’s when the Jutras, Genies, Oscars and Golden Globes announce their picks. So hopefully it will spark interest in the film.”

Incendies will be released in the U.S. by Sony Picture Classics April 1st.