Magnolia Pictures and Red Envelope Entertainment have teamed up to acquire North American rights to David Mackenzie's Hallam Foe which had its world premiere in competition at Berlin this year.

The film, which stars Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles and Ciaran Hinds, is the story of a young man searching the rooftops of Edinburgh for love, while driven to expose the true cause of his mother's death. Magnolia plans a 2008 theatrical release.

'Mackenzie has skillfully crafted the first ever Oedipal rom-com thriller,' said Magnolia's acquisitions chief Tom Quinn in a statement. 'It's sexy, adventurous, intimate and delightful all at once.'

The deal was negotiated by Quinn and Magnolia's head of business affairs, Jason Janego, with Ana Ayesta and Andrew Orr from Independent.