Fortissimo Film Sales has sold North American rights to Un Certain Regard title Japanese Story to Samuel Goldwyn Films following a packed final market screening.

The deal was negotiated on behalf of Fortissimo by Cinetic Media's John Sloss with Goldwyn's Meyer Gottlieb in Los Angeles and Tom Quinn and Peter Goldwyn in Cannes.

Directed by Sue Brooks, Japanese Story is produced by Australia's Gecko Films and stars Toni Collette and Gotaro Tsunashima. Fortissimo has also sold the film to several other key territories during the market including Lolafilms for Spain, Filmauro for Italy, A-Film for the Benelux, Lusomundo for Portugal and Audiovisual for Greece. Palace Films will release the film in Australia later this year.

Fortissimo, which has been one of the busiest sellers at the market, has also sold Traces Of A Dragon, a feature-length documentary about Jackie Chan's family history, to Japan's Gaga Communications and Artfree for Greece.

Artfree has also bought Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Last Life In The Universe, which is being strongly tipped for a Venice slot, and Richard Jobson's 16 Years Of Alcohol. Last Life also went to Portugal's Lusomundo and Russia's Intra Cinema.

Meanwhile Xanda went to Lusomundo (Portugal), A-Films (Benelux), Mongkol (Thailand) and Prooptiki (Greece).