UGC Films UK has picked up UK rights to two recent festival hits and foreign Oscar submissions - surprise Toronto hit The Story Of The Weeping Camel from Menemsha Films.and Venice Golden Lion-winner The Return from Intercinema Art Agency.

Andrei Zvygatinsev's The Return is the story of two teenagers on a sinister fishing trip with their estranged father to a remote island wilderness, while The Story Of The Weeping Camel, directed by Luigi Falorni and Byambasuren Davaa, is the story of a family of nomadic shepherds trying to reunite a mother camel and the baby camel she has rejected after a difficult birth.

Russia has submitted The Return as its official Oscar selection this year, as has Mongolia with The Weeping Camel.

UGC UK recently scored its first £1m grosser with German smash Goodbye, Lenin!. Its other releases have included Swimming Pool, 8 Women and All Or Nothing, and other upcoming releases include Terence Davies' Sunset Song and recent French hit Jeux D'Enfants (Love Me If You Dare).

The new deals were closed by UGC UK acquisitions chief Emma Davie and UGC International's Pierre Monfort with Raisa Fomina from Intercinema and Beatrix Wesle from Menemsha.