Ludwigsburg-based Academy Pictures has picked up Iain Dilthey's The Longing (Das Verlangen) which was the surprise winner of the Golden Leopard at this year's Locarno International Film Festival in the summer.

Academy's managing director Stefan Paul told screendaily.com that he expects Dilthey's sombre drama to screen in the Berlinale's Perspectives German Cinema sidebar before opening in Germany in the spring.