In the first sign of market action at the Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto-based distributor Ouat Media has picked up the worldwide rights to the Canadian Film Centre’s short film library.

Ouat, a division of Channel Zero, secures access to around 100 short film titles, including Brad Peyton’s Evelyn: The Cutest Evil Dead Girl and Renuka Jeyapala’s Big Girl, starring Kris Holden-Reid. Also in the catalogue are the Patrick McKenna-starrer Milo 55160 by David Ostry, Helen Lee’s Prey, which stars a young Sandra Oh, and films by CFC graduates Vincenzo Natali and Julia Kwan.

Ouat didn’t put a dollar figure on the distribution deal, but short films typically net distributors and sales agents commissions in the 30% to 60% range.

The deal was hammered out by Romen Podzyhun for Channel Zero and Sheena Macdonald, director of special projects for the CFC.

Elsewhere, Quebec director Denis Villeneuve saw his short film Next Floor sold to CBC for English-speaking Canada and Canal+ in France. Next Door, which portrays 11 pampered dinner guests in a ritualistic gastronomic feast, will have its Canadian premiere on Saturday night in Toronto.

The Canal+ deal was expected after Villeneuve earned the Canal+ prize for best short film at Cannes’ international critics week.

Another TIFF entry that also bowed at Cannes, Filipino filmmaker Brillante Mendoza’s Serbis, was picked up by U.S. distributor Regent Releasing from Fortissimo Films.

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Watch for Playback Daily‘s extended coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival in our special weekend editions, Sept. 6 and 7!