Meridiana Films secures US distribution deal for lyrical tragedy Altiplano.

UK based Meridiana Films has sold US distribution rights for Peter Borsen and Jessica Woodworth’s Altiplano to First Run Features, New York. The deal was brokered by Meridiana CEO Helen Loveridge and Marc Mauceri, Vice President of Acquisitions for First Run Features.

The film, which launched at the 2009 International critics week at Cannes and won the Grand Prix at the Bangkok Film Festival has also been sold to Imagine (Belgium), Contact Film (Netherlands), Farb Film (Germany & Austria), Cineworx (Switzerland, Ama Films (Greece) & SBS TV (Australia).

Altiplano is a co-production between Germany’s Ma.Ja-De Fiction, Belgium’s Bo Films and Entre Chien et Loup and Dutch company Lemming Film, and stars The Milk Of Sorrow actress Magaly Solier and Olivier Gourmet, regular collaborator with the Dardennes brothers.

Alitplano is billed as “a lyrical tragedy about sacrifice and redemption in the Andes.” Solier plays a Peruvian woman whose plans for her wedding are thrown into upheaval by a mysterious illness in her village - an illness caused by a mercury spill.

“We are so pleased to work on this beautiful, breakthrough film that gives such an honest, albeit tough, insight into life among millions of people very foreign to most Americans,” said Seymour Wishman, president of First Run Features.

Meridiana CEO Loveridge added: “it is a privilege to have a film in the illustrious catalogue of such an established company as First Run Features.”