Seoul-based sales company Finecut has sealed a Japanese deal on Ounie Lecomte’s A Brand New Life, selling the Korean-French co-production to Crest International.

The deal was closed following the recent TIFFCOM market in Tokyo (Oct 20-22).

Produced by Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong, A Brand New Life is inspired by the director’s own life and depicts a young girl’s experiences in a Korean orphanage before being adopted by a French family.

The film premiered in official selection at this year’s Cannes and also played at Toronto, Pusan, Rioand Tokyo where it won the Best Asian Film award.

Finecut pre-sold it to France’s Diaphana and has closed deals in eight other major territories including Hong Kong (Edko Films), Benelux (Cineart) and Mexico (Filmhouse). It recently opened in Korea on 56 screens and is scheduled to open in France in January 2010.

One of Japan’s key arthouse distributors Crest’s recent line-up includes Olivier Assayas’ Summer Hours and Flight Of The Red Balloon by Hou Hsiao-hsien.

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