Miramax Films has bought US rights to Samsara (pictured), the German-Tibetan romantic drama that premiered at Toronto last year. Orfeo Films, which is handling world rights, sold other North American rights to Odeon Films for Canada.

Orfeo also added to the Asian release of Mira Nair's Golden Lion winner Monsoon Wedding, selling Japanese rights to Media Suits and Taiwanese rights to Sinomovie. The film, which also received a Golden Globe nomination, has clocked up a gross of over $1.65m (Rup75m) in its native India.

Samsara, which is headlined by Christy Chung, the super-hot Hong Kong star of Jan Dara, is the story of a former monk who is torn between his wife and a return to the monastic way of life.

Written and directed by Pan Nalin, a Paris-based Indian director, Samsara will receive its European premiere in Rotterdam later this month.

"We had strong interest from most top-flight independent distributors in North America, but it was Miramax which carried off the prize," said Orfeo chief, Helen Loveridge.

Samsara has previously been sold to Ocean Films for France, Fandango for Italy, Cinemien for Benelux, Film Cooperative for Switzerland, Gussi for Mexico, Shani Films for Israel, Babilla/TVOR for Columbia, Peru and Central America, Intercontinental for Hong Kong and Hwa Jaan for Taiwan.