Out to Sea (Mar Adentro), Alejandro Amenabar's eagerly-anticipated follow-up to TheOthers looks set for a Venice festival slot with the news that it will openin Spain on September 3.

Producer Sogecine has confirmedthat it will go to an un-named "early fall festival". The Venice InternationalFilm Festival runs from September 1-11.

Out to Sea stars Javier Bardem in a screenplay written by Amenabar andMateo Gil. In a complete shift from The Others and earlier Amenabar worksuch as Abre Los Ojos, the movie is based on the true-life story ofGalician activist Ramon Sampedro, bedridden for 29 of his 55 years after anaccident left him paralysed from the neck down. Played by Javier Bardem,Sampedro is a household name in Spain for his fight to be allowed to die.

Produced by Sogecine withAmenabar's Himenoptero, France's UGC Images and Italy's Eyescreen have come inas co-producers with financing from Spanish TV stations TVE, Canal + Espana andTVG in association with Eurimages and Spain's film body ICAA. Internationalsales are being handled by Sogepaq but have not yet commenced, with Amenabarstill in post-production after his 12-week shoot in Galica in the northeastpart of Spain, where Sampedro lived.

As before, Amenabar has composed the score for Out To Seaand production credits see the director reuniting with The Others'cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe and art director Benjamin Fernandez.Bardem, meanwhile, will be almost unrecognisable to fans of the actor's work inBefore Night Falls: he spent five hours a day in make-up to age him toSampedro's 55 years.