Fortissimo Films has taken on worldwide sales rights to Thai writer-director Ekachai Uekrongtham's Singapore-set drama Pleasure Factory, which has been selected for Un Certain Regard as the only South-East Asian feature in Cannes ' official selection this year.

Ekachai, whose directorial debut was the critically-acclaimed Beautiful Boxer, is a Singapore permanent resident. Pleasure Factory, his second picture, is produced through his Singapore-based outfit Spicy Apple Films. The film is the first Singapore production to win a berth in Un Certain Regard since Eric Khoo's 12 Storeys in 1997.

Shot entirely in Singapore 's red-light district Geylang, Pleasure Factory is a seductive tale about pleasure seekers and providers. The main cast is toplined by Golden Horse best actress Yang Kuei Mei from Taiwan and hot Thai actor Ananda Everingham (Shutter).

Fortissimo Films' Wouter Barendrecht and Michael J. Werner and Lim Teck, general manager of Singapore 's InnoForm Media, serve as co-producers. The deal was brokered between Ekachai and Fortissimo Films' director of marketing and special projects Raymond Phathanavirangoon.

Meanwhile, Singapore-based Anthony Chen's short film Ah Ma (Grandma) has been selected for Les Courts Metrages En Competition where short films compete for the Palme d'Or short film award and a jury prize.

Ah Ma is the second short film from the 23-year-old Chen whose graduation film G-23 was screened at over 35 international festivals and was selected for the Tous les Cinemas du Monde sidebar at Cannes last year.

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