Berlin-based sales agent M-Appeal has picked up international distribution rights for the Russian-German co-production Yuri's Day (Yuriev Den) which has its international premiere in Locarno's Official Competition tomorrow.

The fourth feature by Kirill Serebrennikov - his 2006 film Playing The Victim became a favourite on the international festival circuit - was produced by Natalya Mokritskaya and Mila Rozanova of Moscow-based New People together with Berlin producing duo Karsten Stöter and Benny Drechsel of Rohfilm, with backing from Germany's Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinema of the Russian Federation.

Yuri's Day had its world premiere in June at the Kinotavr Open Russian Film Festival in Sochi where the film's lead actress Ksenia Rappoport won the award for Best Actress.

Rohfilm is also a co-producer of Bosnian film-maker Aida Begic's feature Snow which will be the opening film at this year's Sarajevo Film Festival this coming Friday (Aug 15).