Strand Releasing has pickedup North American rights to two films from Fortissimo Films - ApichatpongWeerasethakul's Syndromes And A Century and Tsai Ming-liang's I Don't Want To Sleep Alone. Both films, which played in competition at theVenice Film Festival and at Toronto, were commissioned as part of the City OfVienna's New Crowned Hope series.

The deal was closed here yesterdayby Fortissimo's Wouter Barendrecht with Strand co-presidents Marcus Hu and JonGerrans.

"We have handled ViveL'Amour by Tsai Ming-liang and twoof Apichatpong's films and we look forward to working them now and in thefuture," said Hu.