Samuel GoldwynFilms and Sony Pictures Entertainment have jointly acquired worldwiderights to Noah Baumbach's Sundance prizewinner The Squid And The Whale.

Samuel Goldwyn will take the lead on distribution in North America and expectsto release the picture this autumn, while Sony Pictures Releasing Internationalwill handle the international roll-out.

Baumbach's autobiographical tale chronicles the impact of divorce and stars Jeff Daniels, LauraLinney, Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline.

Playing in American DramaticCompetition at Sundance, its combination of first-rate performances, dark comedy andedgy dramatic elements earned a strong following.

Baumbach, who co-wrote with his friend Wes Anderson the screenplay to The Life Aquatic WithSteve Zissou , ended the festival with thebest director prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.

Samuel Goldwyn Films president Meyer Gottlieb and head of acquisitions PeterGoldwyn negotiated the deal along with Greg Johnson and Peter Newman undertheir Gotham Sales enterprise, in conjunction with attorney Donna Bascom and Baumbach'smanager, Brad Gross.

Benedict Carver, Screen Gems' senior vice president of acquisitions andco-productions, oversaw the acquisition for Sony.

Newman produced with Wes Anderson, Charlie Corwin and Clara Markowicz. RevergeAnselmo, Miranda Bailey, Andrew Lauren, and Greg Johnson served as executiveproducers.

This is Samuel Goldwyn's second Sundance acquisition of the year following itsjoint acquisition with Roadside Attractions of Marcos Siega's high school satirePretty Persuasion, which stars EvanRachel Wood.