Brazilian production company Dezenove and UMedia, the French independent production and distribution company, have signed a three-year, multi-picture deal.

UMedia will handle worldwide distribution and may also co-produce at least three films by Dezenove’s Sara Silveira. It is a first and last look deal.

The first project under the deal will be Hard Labor (Trabalhar Cansa), by Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra. It tells the story of a middle class family in Brazil’s Sao Paulo dealing with life’s difficulties and family issues while trying to make ends meet.

The two companies have previously collaborated on Esmir Filho’s debut picture, The Famous And The Dead (Os Famosos E Os Duendes Da Morte), and Sunstroke (Insolacoa) by Felipe Hirsch and Daniela Thomas, which premiered in the Orizzonti section at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

Dezenove and UMedia have a history of supporting young directors making their first or second films.