First Independent Pictures has picked up North American rights toSerenade Films' The Great New Wonderful and plans an early summer release.

Danny Leiner's picture weavestogether five vignettes set against the backdrop of an uncertain post-9/11 NewYork City.

Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tony Shalhoub, Edie Falco and Tom McCarthy areamong the ensemble cast in the film which had its world premiere at the TribecaFilm Festival in 2005.

Leiner produced with Matt Tauber and Leslie Urdang. Sam Catlinwrote the screenplay.

"It is our pleasure to be in business with Serenade principalsLeslie Urdang and Michael Nozik, and director Danny Leiner," First IndependentPictures president Gary Rubin said. "As for the film, we've been after it sinceTribeca and couldn't be more excited."

"We respond to others' passion when making decisions aboutprojects, directors, and distributors," Serenade's Urdang added. "Gary and histeam have been devotedly pursuing this film, and we feel they are the perfectfit to take this film out to American audiences."

This is Serenade's third domestic deal following IFC's acquisitionof Michael Cuesta's Twelve And Holding and Kindred Media's acquisition of Michael Hoffman's Game6.

Urdang and Michael Nozik of Serenade and UTA's Richard Klubeck andJeremy Barber negotiated the deal with Rubin and attorney Shelley Surpin forFirst Independent.

FirstIndependent has previously picked up New York Doll, Mail Order Wife and Edmond, which it plans to release later thisyear.