Norway's BV International has picked up world sales rights to RidhaBehi's drama The Magic Box (La Boite Magique), which appears out of competition in Venice and is one of the fewto have won consistently widespread praise on the Lido.

Magic Box is avoyage of self discovery by a film-director commissioned to deliver a pictureabout his own life. The $2.5m title is a Franco-Tunisian picture, producedby Alya Films and first-time Frenchproduction house Atlas Entertainment. It is produced by Malik Bencheghib anddirector Behi.

"The film screenedwithout an agent on Saturday night and bowled over many people. I rushed tosign it up," said BV International principal Bjorg Veland. "Magic Box isa film that sticks to you through its humanity and naive charm. It isbeautifully filmed with a wonderful central performance by Medhi Rebii as theyoung boy and shows a new side to Tunisia. We've had lots of buyer feedbackalready.