Roadside Attractions has confirmed it has picked up Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Biutiful, partnering with Liddell Entertainment on US rights.

The parties have tentatively set a December release for awards consideration, with Javier Bardem likely to be the focus of a campaign for his widely admired performance as aconflicted man amid barcelona’s underworld who struggles to make peace with himself and his family.

Biutifulwill receive its North American premiere in Toronto next month after launching at Cannes in the summer. Newcomers Marciel Alvarez and Diaryatou Daff also star.

Inarritu conceived the story and wrote the screenplay with Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone. The director also produced alongside Jon Kilik and Fernando Bovaira, while David Linde served as executive producer and Alfonso Cuaron and Guillermo Del Toro picked up associate producer credits.

Co-president Howard Cohen and attorney Greg Bernstein negotiated on behalf of Roadside Attractions while Mickey Liddell and attorney Robert Darwell of Shephard Mullin negotiated for Liddell Entertainment. CAA and attorney Tara Kole of Gang, Tyre, Ramer and Brown represented the film-makers.