Warner Bros PicturesInternational has acquired Belgian director Stijn Coninx's family drama VerderDan De Maan (Sea Of Silence) for distribution in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Set against the backdrop ofthe 1960s Space Race, Verder Dan De Maan follows the spiritual and emotionaljourney of a nine-year-old girl and her father.

Coninx, whose creditsinclude Hector, Koko Flanel and Daens, rose to international prominence on the back of theaward-winning historical drama Daens, which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film in 1993.

Jacqueline Epskamp wrote thescreenplay and the film stars Johanna Ter Steege (Spoorloos, ImmortalBeloved), Neeltje De Vree, AnnekeBlok, Annet Malherbe, Wim Opbrouck and Huub Stapel (Amsterdamned, Dial 9 forLove).

It was produced by ElsVandevorst and Ien Van Wierst of Amsterdam-based Isabella Films, whose companycredits include Lars Von Trier's Dogville and Dancer In The Darkand Thomas Vinterberg's It's All About Love.

Sharing co-productioncredits are Sophimages (Belgium), Lichtblick-Film (Germany), ZentropaProductions (Denmark), KRO Television, VRT (Flanders), R.T.B.F. (Wallonia) andZDF/ARTE (Belgium, France, Germany).

Warner Home Video and WarnerBros International Television Distribution also hold rights to distribute VerderDan De Maan in the Netherlands andBelgium.