The US deal with Séville International comes nearly eight weeks after Xavier Dolan’s Cannes world premiere earned the 25-year-old film-maker the jury prize.

Mommy takes place in a fictitious Canada where strict rules allow parents to jettison troublesome children and a mysterious woman offers to help a widow.

Anne Dorval stars with Antoine Olivier Pilon and Suzanne Clément. Nancy Grant produced.

Vice-president of international sales Anick Poirier brokered the deal with Roadside Attractions co-president Howard Cohen and attorney Greg Bernstein.

Roadside plans an early 2015 release. eOne/Les Films Séville is handling direct distribution of the film in Canada and French-speaking Canada, while Séville International has reportedly sold out the majority of territories.

Sales include France (Diaphana), Benelux (ABC Cinemien), Japan (Pictures Dept), Israel (Lev Films), Portugal (Alambique) and Turkey (Kurmaca).