SantaMonica sales and distribution company Lightning Entertainment has takenworldwide rights territories excluding Brazil and Germany to Brazilian footballcrime drama Showdebola.

Commercialsdirector Alexander Pickl makes his feature directorial debut on the story of ayoungster whose dream of playing professional football may be his only way outof a tough Rio de Janerio favela.

PhillipSchulz-Deyle, Dan Maag, Michael Bischoff and Olivier Jahr produced and StephanBarth served as executive producer.

ReneBelmonte and Nicolai Mullerschon wrote the screenplay and Thiago Martins,Gabriel Mater and Lui Mendes star.

"Showdebola is an emotionally engaging film that should captivate audiences withits raw portrayal of street life in urban Brazil and the stark realties forthose trying to escape," Lightning partner Richard Guardian said.

"Itis City Of God combined with soccer and, onthe eve of the World

Cup,I'm thrilled to have this film to offer our clients."

Guardiansaid he would screen footage at Cannes from the picture, which is in post-production.He negotiated the deal with co-producer Michael Bischoff for Orange Pictures.

Lightning'sCannes slate includes the coming-of-age comedy Hey, Hey

It'sEsther Blueburger starring Toni Collete andKeisa Castle-Hughes,

spiritualdrama Conversations With God, the timely documentarySecrets

OfThe Code, and cannibalism thriller Grimm Love.