Japanese giant Shochiku,which is celebrating its 110th anniversary, has struck deals onTuesday's competition film The Hidden Blade (Kakushi Ken Oni No Tsume) for the US, Germany, France and Australia.

The period martial artsdrama, directed by the Oscar-nominated Yoji Yamada (Twilight Samurai), was soldto Tartan Films for the US, EMS for Germany, CTV International for France,Aztec International

Entertainment forAustralia and New Zealand, Discovery Film & Video Distribution for EasternEurope, Odeon for Greece, Golden Village Pictures for Singapore and CMCMagnetics Corporation for Taiwan.

The film stars popularJapanese actors Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu and Hidetaka Yoshioka and isviewed as a follow-up to the Oscar-nominated Twilight Samurai.

Like the earlier work, itwas written by Yoji Yamada and Yoshitaka Asama as an adaptation of severalnovellas by Shuhei Fujisawa.

Previously announcedsales include Tartan Films for the UK, Notro Films for Spain, PanoramaEntertainment for China and Hong Kong, Lusomundo for Portugal, Shani Films forIsrael and Nontanund Entertainment for Thailand.

Shochikuis being honoured with the prestigious Berlinale Camera award from the Berlinfestival, becoming the first company ever to receive the award.