Osama, the first Afghan film to be made since the fall of the Taliban, was jointly acquired by five European distributors which last year formed a loose buying alliance.

The currently unnamed company is owned by Lucky Red of Italy, Frenetic Films of Switzerland, Haut Et Court of France, Cineart of Belgium and A-Film of The Netherlands.

The Seddiq Barmak-directed film, which appeared in Directors' Fortnight, is sold by Frank Manion of London-based Swipe Films.

"This is the first time that the mother company has bought a film and will sub-distribute it through the five partners," said Lucky Red's Andrea Occhipinti. "Previous acquisitions of Bloody Sunday and In This World were bought by all of us, but had been negotiated separately."

Additional sales on Osama were made to ICA in the UK and Alta Films in Spain.