Los Angeles-based distributionand sales house, First Look Media has picked up worldwide rights excluding the UK and Irelandto John Simpson's futuristic thriller Freeze-Frame.It will begin sales in Torontothrough First Look International.

Freeze-Frame premiered atthe Tribeca Film festival earlier this year and starsBritish comic Lee Evans as a man who is acquitted of murder and straps camerasto his body to exculpate himself from future accusations.

Rachael Stirlingand Colin Salmon also star in the picture, which is due to be released in the US in early2005 through First Look Pictures.

First Look's Peter Lawson and Kian Ghaffari negotiated the dealwith Film Sales Company's Andrew Herwitz on behalf ofthe filmmakers.

"John Simpson's edgy andmodern take on the ever-popular crime thriller is sure to be a hit with buyersand audiences worldwide, and we are pleased to be working with such a talenteddirector," First Look Media's president and chief operating officer Bill Lischak said in a statement.

First Look Media's productionslate includes the romantic comedy Cakewith Heather Graham and David Radcliffe, and the darkcomedy Kevin Approaches, which iscurrently in pre-production and set to star Guy Pearce, Laura Linney, Robert Carlyle and Christopher Walken.