Fortissimo Films has pickedup worldwide rights excluding the US to Kirby Dick's film ratings documentary ThisFilm Is Not Yet Rated, whichreceives its world premiere at Sundance this week.

The Independent Film Channel(IFC) production explores the MPAA's ratings system and asks whether it favoursaffiliated studios. The ratings system's wildly divergent attitudes over sexand violence also come under the microscope.

IFC's general manager andexecutive vice president Evan Shapiro, vice president of documentary andfeatures Alison Palmer Bourke, and director of integrated partnerships andlicensing Gregg Diller negotiated the deal with Fortissimo co-chairmen WouterBarendrecht and Michael J Werner.

"With This Film IsNot Yet Rated we feel that we havefound another non-fiction feature film that will be of great interest tomovie-goers and lovers of cinema around the world," Barendrecht and Wernersaid in a joint statement.

"What filmmaker KirbyDick has done with his groundbreaking film is to shed light on a system which,while seemingly US-based and focused, in fact has significant impact on howfilms of both US and non-US origin are sold, distributed and seen around theglobe."

"Kirby's film makes aglobally universal statement against censorship and about the importance ofartistic freedom, a proclamation that perfectly symbolises the 'IFC, TV uncut'mandate," Shapiro added. "We're thrilled to partner with Fortissimoto bring this relevant message to an international audience." Eddie Schmidtproduced the picture.