Karla, the US-produced true-life account of Canadianserial killer Karla Homolka, has secured a theatrical release in Canada viaMontreal-based Christal Films. The company plans open the film on 100 screensnationwide on January 20.

Directed by Joel Bender andproduced by Michael Sellers of LA-based Quantum Entertainment, the film starsLaura Prepon as Homolka and Misha Collins as Paul Bernardo, her former husbandwho is serving a life sentence for the kidnapping, rape and murder of twoteenage girls in the early 1990s.

Homolka'snotoriety was secured by her appearance in video tapes recorded by the coupleduring their gruesome crimes. Presented as evidence during Bernardo's trial,they showed that Homolka, who claimed to have been coerced by Bernardo and pleabargained a shorter sentence in exchange for her testimony in his prosecution,had in fact been a willing accomplice. It was also revealed she was complicitwith Bernardo in the rape and man-slaughter of her own sister. She was releasedfrom prison in July 2005 after serving a 12-year sentence.

The film stirred the ire ofmany Canadian politicians as well as persons in the film community. Originallyscheduled to premiere during the Montreal World Film Festival in August 2005,it was pulled from the festival when MWFF sponsors objected. THINKFilmpresident Jeff Sackman issued a statement asking his distribution peers toboycott the film. Since then, the victims' families have screened the film andsaid they would not oppose its release in Canada.

Christal executivesChristian Larouche and Sylvain Gagne negotiated distribution rights for thefilm with Quantum.