Zeitgeist Films has acquired North American rights to Felix Moeller’s Harlan – In The Shadow Of Jew Suss, which gets its North American premiere at Telluride this weekend.

The film explores the little known story of Veit Harlan, one of Nazi Germany’s most notorious propaganda film-makers, and how his ancestors struggle to live with his myth.

Zeitgeist co-president Emily Russo negotiated the deal with Amelie Latscha, of Blueprint Film, Munich, and Zeitgeist plans a March 2010 release.

The distributor is also understood to have acquired US rights at Venice to Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar’s animated feature A Town Called Panic, which screened in official selection in Cannes.

Philippe Bober’s production and sales outfit Coproduction Office is handling sales and is understood to have concluded a UK deal with Optimum and a Canadian sale to Films We Like.