The UK's Lumina Films haspicked up worldwide rights on three-part Brazilian documentary Futebol directedby Joao Moreira Salles and ArthurFontes.

The series will be presented throughBuena Onda, Lumina's production and acquisition sister label headed by Donald KRanvaud.

Joao Moreira Salles, wholaunched Brazilian production company Videofilmes with his brother WalterSalles in 1987, produced the series, which mixes rarely-seen historical footageand new insider shots with interviews with legends like Pele and Zico.

The documentary containsthree episodes of 80 minutes each. The first follows young hopefuls as they tryout for Rio's Flamengo team; the second delves into the trappings of therags-to-riches existence of those who do make it onto the team; and the thirdtells the story of the original football superstar, Caju.

Samantha Horley, Head ofSales at Lumina Films, notes that the blend of entertainment and socialcommentary makes the documentary "as much about football as When We Were Kings was about boxing."

Other Lumina Films projectsscreening in Cannes include City Of God-inspired TV series City OfMen, Spanish CGI animated feature Midsummer Dream, and SergioMachado's Un Certain Regard title Lower City (Cidade Baixa).

Both Lumina Films and Buena Onda arepart of the International Film Collective (IFC), a privately-ownedinternational media group.