Fortissimo Film Sales has picked up international rights toSlamdance hit film Mad Hot Ballroom. Therights were sold by Paramount Classics, which acquired the film outsideAustralia and New Zealand jointly with Nickelodeon last month.

Directed by Marilyn Agrelo and written by Amy Sewell, thedocumentary tracks a group of 11-year old New York public schoolchildren whotrain for a citywide ballroom dancing competition. Sewell and Agrelo produced.

Slamdance organisers said the final screening of Mad HotBallroom drew a record number of buyers.Fortissimo was one of several international sellers to have made offers toParamount.

Fortissimo co-chief Michael J Werner said: I saw the film inSlamdance and knew it had all the makings of a global hit. Mad Hot Ballroom possessessimilar critical, artistic andcommercialsensibilities to our winning slate of non-fiction films thathas included Spellbound, Capturing The Friedmans and Super Size Me."

"We werethrilled to purchase one of the hottest films out of Park City this year. Mad Hot Ballroom is a wonderfully entertaining film and we are proudto be working with Fortissimo," said Paramount Classics Co-PresidentsRuth Vitale and David Dinerstein.

Paramount Classics and Nickelodeon Movies plan a US releasethis year. Icon will distribute in Australia and New Zealand.