Los Angeles-based CinemaManagement Group (CMG) has picked up exclusive international distributionrights to Elia Schneider's Venezuelan drama Punto Y Raya, which recently won best picture at the Los AngelesLatino International Film Festival.

CMG will seek to licensethe picture immediately and plans market screenings in Los Angeles and in SantaMonica at the upcoming AFM in November.

The story centres on theshifting and ultimately tragic friendship between a Venezuelan border guard andhis Colombian counterpart and stars Laureano Olivares and Juan David Restrepo.

Punto Y Raya opens in Venezuela on Aug 19 and is said to be astrong contender for the country's foreign language Academy Awardsubmission.

Three pictures produced bySchneider and husband Jose Novoa under their Unity Films banner have previouslybeen selected to represent Venezuela in the foreign language Oscar category: Sicario, Orodiablo, and Huelepega.

CMG, which is headed up byformer Miramax senior vice president of international sales and distributionEdward Noeltner, is coming off the back off a successful Cannes, where it soldthe animated Hoodwinked: The True Story Of Red Riding Hood to 14 international buyers.