Madrid-based sales house Kevin Williams Associates (KWA) has picked up Vicente Aranda's ambitious Carmen for international sales, and will give the film its market debut next month at Cannes.

Billed as the biggest-budgeted European erotic production of the last ten years, Carmen is produced by Juan Alexander for Spain's Star Line Productions, in co-production with the UK's Parallel Pictures and Italy's Planet Pictures. Sale and leaseback was secured with Featurefilm in the UK.

Carmen has elicited much interest since it began shooting in Andalusia last September. It stars hot up-and-comers Paz Vega (Sex And Lucia) and Leonardo Sbaraglia (Intact), both previous best new actor Goya Award winners, in a new adaptation of the 19th century novel by Merimee. Aranda and Joaquin Jorda co-wrote the script. The film premieres in Spain next autumn.

Also on KWA's line-up for Cannes, where the company celebrates its sixth anniversary, are, among other titles: the international premiere of Cuba-set, Brazil-shot romantic farce Sex Changes Everything! (Viva Sapato!); Berlin Panorama entry The Suit (El Traje); Spanish thriller The Impatient Alchemist (El Alquimista Impaciente); and Mexican productions Dark Cities (Ciudades Oscuras) and The Blue Room (La Habitacion Azul), both of which were nominated this year for Mexico's top Ariel Award for best adapted screenplay.