Wild Bunch has picked up world sales rights outside Asia to Im Kwon-Taek's Chihwaseon - the Cannes competition title that jointly won the festival's best direction prize.

Wild Bunch picked up the film after seeing it at its early screening on Saturday 25 May and closed the deal on Sunday morning.

Wild Bunch previously handled sales on Im Kwon-Taek's 2000 Cannes competition film, Chunhyang. Wild Bunch director of acquisitions Alain De La Mata commented: "Wild Bunch's policy is to carry on relationships with directors we believe in."

Korean major, Cinema Service previously handled worldwide sales rights to the film and had already sold it to France and Switzerland (Pathe). It will continue to sell the film in Asia.

Chihwaseon tells the story of a 19th century Korean painter, infamous for only being able to reach high artistic heights when drunk and surrounded by women.

Cinema Service sold Jeong Jae'eun's Take Care Of My Cat, a favourite at many festivals this year, to US boutique distributor Kino International, to Gala Films for the UK and to Singapore's MediaCorp.The re-cut version of sci-fi thriller Volcano High was bought by MediaCorp and by China Video for Brazil.