New York-based distributorKino International has picked up US rights to Costa-Gavras' historical thrillerAmen for release in late Jan2003. The picture, sold to Kino by Pathe International (France), received its premiere at the 2002 Berlin FilmFestival and was the opening night film of the 2002 Human Rights Watch FilmFestival.

The story is set during theSecond World War and focuses on the attempts by a real-life German chemist anda fictional Jesuit priest to expose the Nazis' use of Zyklon B gas in deathcamps. Using the priest's Vatican connections, the pair take their discovery toPope Pope Pius XII in the hope that he will speak out about the atrocities.

Amen is the latest in a long line of politically awarepictures by Costa-Gavras, whose previous credits include Z, The Confession, the Oscar-nominated Missing and Music Box. It wasproduced by Claude Berri and adapted by Costa-Gavras and Jean Claude-Grumbergfrom Rolf Hochhuth's play The Representative.