It is every aspiring filmmaker's fantasy: pour a few thousand dollars into a movie and then have Hollywood come knocking when a big-studio catches on to a potential hit.

Well, it might just happen that way for Michael Sparaga and Blake Van de Graaf. Sparaga produced and Van de Graaf directed the low budget superhero film Sidekick, which is currently on a tour of eight Canadian cities. According to the Calgary Herald, it has attracted the attention of Focus Features, the NBC Universal company responsible for Brokeback Mountain and The Constant Gardener. As a result it could be in line for a big-budget Hollywood makeover.

After a brief lull, superheroes are all the rage again in Hollywood. Batman Begins was a huge hit last year and the next few weeks will bring the release of X-Men 3: The Last Stand, and Superman Returns. Buzz is also building around Spider-Man 3, which is due out in 2007. It is no surprise, therefore, that Hollywood executives might be interested in Sidekick. This is a superhero movie with a difference, though. For one thing, it's Canadian.

Sparaga and Van de Graaf are graduates of York University's Film & Video Department. Van de Graaf worked mostly in editing, animation and post production before taking the helm for Sidekick. Sparaga produced the feature film Loaded Deck and has written a number of screenplays.

"We both had scholarships to go to York, me for production and Michael for screenwriting, and I think they stuck us in the same room figuring we would get along," Van de Graaf said.

Apparently they did get along because in Sidekick they appear to have an indie hit on their hands. The film won the Cineplex Odeon People's Pick for Best Flick Award at the 2006 Canadian Filmmakers Festival in Toronto and was named Best Overall Selection at the 2005 Eureka Springs Digital Film Festival in Arkansas.

Maybe it was that American showing that got the attention of Focus Features. They are now negotiating with Sparaga for the rights to remake the film. Sparaga wants to get the right deal, however. Apparently Focus wanted Sparaga to keep his film under wraps, presumably to prevent it from distracting attention from any version they might make. Sparaga and Van de Graaf weren't having it, though. They want people to see the original.

"No-one thinks El Mariachi and Desperado are the same film," Van de Graaf said. "They look at them as two separate entities, and they both made money."

Moreover, the quirkiness of Sidekick may not easily lend itself to the Hollywood formula. In addition to its Canadian origin and setting, what makes it different is that the story is told from the perspective of the hero's sidekick. Hence the title.

The role of the sidekick is played by Ontario-born Perry Mucci, here making his feature debut. His character, Norman Neale, is described as a "nerdy IT specialist" and comic book fan who fantasises about capturing criminals and the heart of Andrea, his company's receptionist. When he discovers that co-worker Victor can perform telekinesis, he believes he can make those dreams reality by grooming Victor for superhero status.

Victor is played by David Ingram, also making his feature debut. His character doesn't come to the role of hero easily. Firstly, Victor's powers start off slight. Secondly, he is more interested in status and money than making the streets safe. Whether Norman can persuade Victor to use his powers for good is one of Sidekick's main plot threads.

Time will tell whether Hollywood makes something of Sidekick and gives Sparaga and Van de Graaf their big break. Hopefully, though, this uniquely Canadian perspective on superheroes will reach a wider audience somehow. If we are ever in need of saving from Hollywood's approach to the genre, it would be reassuring to know that Sidekick is out there.