Alliance Atlantis has closed a clutch of pre-sales on offbeat drama Morvern Callar, by one of Britain's hottest directing talents, Lynne Ramsay.

The film has been snapped up by Diaphana in France, Artist House in Japan and Prooptiki in Greece. Momentum Pictures will release the film in the UK.

Morvern Caller is Ramsay's second feature after the critically-lauded Ratcatcher, which landed slots in the Un Certain Regard and Camera d'Or categories at Cannes in 1999.

Adapted by Ramsay and co-writer Liana Dognini from Alan Warner's novel of the same name, Morvern Callar tells the story of a 21-year-old supermarket worker from a small Scottish port town, who after covering up her boyfriend's suicide, takes credit for a novel he has written and uses the cash to travel to Spain. The film, which wrapped this week, stars Samantha Morton and Kathleen McDermott.

Backing comes from Alliance Atlantis, BBC Films, the Film Council, Scottish Screen and the Glasgow Film Fund. Robyn Slovo, Charlie Pattinson and George Faber of the UK's Company Pictures produce. Executive producers are Seaton McLean for Alliance Atlantis, Andras Hamori for H20 Motion Pictures, David Thompson and Barbara McKissack for BBC Films and Lenny Crooks for the Glasgow Film Fund.