The UK's FilmFour has sold Our Lucky Break, Peter Cattaneo's follow-up toThe Full Monty, to Miramax Films and Paramount for North America and Australia/New Zealand.

The two US studios will jointly release the film in North America, while FilmFour will distribute in the UK. "The deal uses Paramount's distribution muscle and Miramax's marketing nous," said Paul Webster, chief executive of FilmFour.

Webster added that the project is now greenlit. Cattaneo will direct from a script by Ronan Bennett. Shooting is scheduled for August in England, with delivery set for Cannes next year. Barnaby Thompson of UK production outfit Fragile Films is producing.

The film tells the story of a group of prisoners who stage an opera about admiral Horatio Nelson as part of their anger management and drama therapy, but use the event to mount an escape.