US independent distributor Film Movement has picked up domestic rights to Steve Barron's Choking Man, a drama blending fantasy and reality in its depiction of one man's inner demons. The film was recently named Best Film Not Playing at a Theatre Near You at the Gotham Awards.

The film stars Octavio Gomez Berrios as a shy Ecuadorian dishwasher working in a diner in Queens, NY; Mandy Patinkin co-stars.

'Steve Barron's intimate drama is a perfect example of the best in American independent filmmaking today,' said Film Movement president Adley Gartenstein in a statement. 'It is smart and imaginative, and it talks about the immigrant experience in a very real and empathetic way, without ever either being condescending or glamorizing the American dream.'

The deal was negotiated between Gartenstein and Ryan Kampe of Visit Films.

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