Montreal: Behaviour Distribution is launching Francois Bouvier’s new family film Histoires d’Hiver on 30 screens Feb. 26. Industry buzz around the film has been positive for the past few months, with the release timed for the annual mid-winter school break, says Joanne Senecal, Behaviour’s general manager and national theatrical director.

Behaviour is investing $260,000 in the film’s p&a with a campaign on Television Quatre Saisons and Radio-Energie (ckmf). Sponsors include pharmacy Uniprix and Journal de Montreal and Journal de Quebec. One of the promotional tie-ins is a chance to win tickets to a Canadiens-Boston Bruins hockey game.

Behaviour’s senior vp distribution Pierre Brousseau says the $2.8-million film may be the best ever from Aska Film producer Claude Gagnon and director Bouvier.

A grown-up story set in the mid-1960s and seen through the eyes of a young, hockey-obsessed boy, Histoires d’Hiver stars Joel Drapeau-Dalpe, Denis Bouchard as the kid’s adoring uncle, Diane Lavalle as his mom, Suzanne Champagne and Sylvie Legault.

In other Quebec theatrical news, the Films Lions Gate comedy Les Boys ii has topped the $5-million mark after 10 weeks with cumulative box office receipts of $5,052,372 following the Feb. 12-14 weekend.

Nominated in this year’s best motion picture Oscar category, the Alliance Vivafilm release Life is Beautiful/La Vie est belle has total Quebec receipts of over $2 million after 15 weeks.

The box-office data is from Alex Films. Leo Rice-Barker