Japan's Pony Canyon has picked up rights to AlejandroAmenabar's much-anticipated The Othersfollow-up, The Sea Within (Mar Adentro).

Starring Javier Bardem in the true story-based tale of aparalyzed man who fought for decades for the right to die, The Sea Within (formerly OutTo Sea) competes at next week's Venice Film Festival.

Venice is also the first official market where sales handlerSogepaq, sister company of producer Sogecine, will make the film available tobuyers. Co-producers UGC Images (Fr) and Eyescreen (It) have rights in theirterritories, while Fine Line Features closed all English-speaking territorieslast month.

The film premieres in Spain on September 3 and beforeyear-end in the US.

"This sale is special because it carries on our relationshipwith Pony Canyon, which has handled all of Alejandro's films in Japan," saidSogepaq deputy director of distributor Simon de Santiago.