Peace Arch Entertainment makes its big-screen debut on Friday with Interview, the latest directing effort by actor Steve Buscemi and the first theatrical release from the Toronto company.

There’s been ample movement at Peace Arch over the last few months. The company has closed a number of significant acquisitions and, now, is moving into Canadian distribution, a sector still in flux from the departure of ThinkFilm and the change of ownership at Alliance Atlantis.

President John Flock says the company sees ‘enormous opportunities’ in theaters, but says its goals are ‘fairly modest.’

‘I don’t think there are a lot of viable players on the Canadian side right now,’ because of the recent changes, he says on the phone from Los Angeles. ‘Our plan is to grow this business modestly… we’re not going to roll into it in a big way and try to grab a big market share by spending lots of money.’

Peace Arch has also expanded its home entertainment division. It recently purchased California-based DVD distributor Trinity Home Entertainment in addition to acquiring Canadian-based home entertainment outfit kaBOOM! last year.

Flock says by combining Trinity and kaBOOM!, Peace Arch can grow its business as a direct-to-DVD distributor, while feeding distribution with the video product the company makes in Canada. Direct-to-DVD titles (The Last Sect, Ultimate Killing Machine) have long been the bread and butter of its production efforts.

‘It’s still very much a part of our plan… we have to take advantage of our base in Canada, in terms of utilizing tax credits and the other subsidies that are available to us as a Canadian company,’ Flock tells Playback Daily, adding that Peach Arch is continuing to build up production, citing the company’s recent purchase of Toronto service house Dufferin Gate Productions. The company is also attached to the drama The Tudors, due to air this fall on CBC.

‘The biggest problem of most independent DVD companies in the U.S. is a lack of content. As long as we can continue to take advantage of our experience, our relationships, and our base in Canada, we can seed a lot of product into our own distribution operation without competing out there in the open market,’ Flock explains.

An entertainment lawyer by profession, Flock, who has been with the company since 2004, says Peace Arch is fairly evenly split in terms of business generated in its film, television and home entertainment areas.

While the company would like to close more output deals with U.S. distributors in the future, Flock says Peach Arch still has to prove itself.

‘I think we’re developing our reputation as a very good independent DVD distributor in Canada. We’re trying to enhance that reputation by taking some things up theatrically… we’re now actively in the acquisitions market for Canada and the U.S.,’ he notes.

Following the modest release of Interview in three cities, Peace Arch will release a number of titles in Canada, including the crime drama Towards Darkness, about rampant kidnappings in Colombia.