Tribeca to release 'Romantics' film

CANNES, France, May 19 (UPI) -- Tribeca Film says it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the hit French movie "Romantics Anonymous."

The film recently had its international premiere at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

The deal for the U.S. distribution rights to it was concluded at France's Cannes Film Festival, it was announced Wednesday.

Jean-Pierre Ameris directed and co-wrote the film with Philippe Blasband, Nathalie Gastaldo and Philippe Godeau serving as producers.

StudioCanal released the film in France, where it has taken in more than $9 million to date at the box office, and also handled international sales.

The film stars Isabelle Carre as an unemployed but gifted chocolate-maker with a lifelong case of uncontrollable shyness that prevents her from properly sharing her confectionary talents. Co-starring Benoit Poelvoorde, "Romantics Anonymous" will be released in the coming months by Tribeca Film.

"French films have the rare ability to transcend boundaries and bring audiences together. We're enormously pleased to have reached a deal in Cannes for this film, which has great comic moments, wonderful characters and extraordinary performances," Geoffrey Gilmore, chief creative officer of Tribeca Enterprises, said in a statement.

"At Tribeca Film Festival, the audience welcomed 'Romantics Anonymous' with such warmth, when we debated after the screenings people were so connected to the humor and emotion of the film, that I am particularly happy to know the film will be distributed in the United States and this conversation with American audiences will carry on," Ameris said.