Denys Arcand's competition film The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions Barbares) has opened strongly in its native Quebec, notching C$1m in its first six days of release on a 120 print release handled by Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm, and giving a further boost to sales agent Flach Pyramide International (FPI).

Indeed, Arcand's latest, which focuses on a dying man's reconciliation with his son and his acceptance of impending death, has already been snapped up here by Bim's Valerio de Paolis. FPI also sold Barbarian Invasions to Filmcopie of Switzerland, Films de l'Elysee for Belgium, Shapira for Israel, Filmgroup for Russia and Golem for Spain.

"We fought hard to be part of this film. With one of the best scripts I've read it is an absolute joy to be handling it," said Eric Lagesse, FPI head. "We are very proud that we were also involved as a co-producer."

According to box office data supplier Alexfilm, that makes Barbarian Invasions the number one performer at the box office and the fifth highest opening for a Quebecois film.

With three films in competition - it is also handling Naomi Kawase's Sharada and Claude Miller's La Petite Lili - FPI is possibly the most internationally visible part of the larger, but highly independent, Pyramide group.