Spanish outfit Alta Films has picked up Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir's romantic drama Salt Of This Sea for theatrical distribution in Spain.

Salt Of This Sea picked up the best screenplay award at the Dubai International film festival in December and played in Un Certain Regard at Cannes last year.

The film is a Spanish (MediaPro)- French (JBA Production) - Palestinian (Philistine Films) - Swiss (Thelma Film AG) - Belgian (Tarantula) co-production.

Jacir's debut feature, which she also wrote, tells the story of Soraya played by newcomer Suheir Hammad. Born in Brooklyn, Soraya decides to return to live in Palestine and recover the money of her grandparents, who were exiled from the country in 1948. While there she meets Emad, played by Saleh Bakri, a young Palestinian desperate to leave the country.

Alta Films will release Salt Of This Sea in Spain on April 17.

Annemarie Jacir previously enjoyed success with her short films about Palestine, including Like Twenty Impossibles, which won awards at the Chicago International film festival, Palm Springs short festival, Manheim-Heidelberg and at the Paris Biennale of Arab Cinema.