Bavaria Film International has taken on international sales for Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar's powerful anti-war statement Beaufort which will have its world premiere in the forthcoming Berlinale's Competition.

Produced by Metro Communications in cooperation with United King Films and Movie Plus, Beaufort was adapted by Cedar from the novel of the same name by award-winning journalist Ron Leshem. The story is based on true events that occurred at the iconic Beaufort Castle in the South of Lebanon in the months before the withdrawal of Israeli troops in 2000 and also draws on Cedar's own experiences as a former infantry soldier in the Israeli army.

'Beaufort is not only an important film coming from Israel at this time with regards to its subject matter, but it is also, first and foremost, a powerful film and cinematic experience,' Bavaria Film International's Thorsten Ritter commented. 'I like the fact that no enemy is seen and no particular guilt is addressed, but rather that we get into the claustrophobic and surreal state within this fortress with a prevalent feeling of danger and threat.'

Cedar's previous two features - Time Of Favour and Campfire - were both selected as Israel's entry to the Academy Awards.

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