Strand Releasing has acquired US rights to Michael Matzdorff’s ensemble comedy Feed The Fish co-starring Tony Shalhoub.

Strand’s Jon Gerrans negotiated the deal with Todd Williams of Upload Films for the project about a disillusioned children’s author who goes on a road trip to do the Polar Bear Plunge in midwinter Wisconsin.

Matzdorff wrote the screenplay in 2006 and shot the film in late 2008 before mounting a self-distribution campaign in three cities in Wisconsin.

“We have taken in a very strong regional gross of $40-45,000 to date and are still rolling out regionally,” Matzdorff said. “Milwaukee, Appleton and Green Bay are other cities tentatively confirmed to open.”

“In my first meeting with Strand I was immediately impressed with their catalogue and [their] team, Jon and Marcus, were direct easy to deal with and offered up some great collaborative ideas.”

“We’re thrilled to acquire this ensemble comedy and it’s a real charmer,” Gerrans said.

Strand Releasing is distributing Ole Schell and Sara Ziff’s documentary PictureMeas well as Francois Ozon’s Hideaway in September.