This is one of the very few US distribution deals clinched by an Estonian film so far.

Strand Releasing (www.strandreleasing.com) took note of the 2007 Venice Horizons sidebar winner during this year's Berlinale. The company plans a modest roll-out in US, focusing mainly on special events and festivals before going to DVD. The first major occasion comes with Strand Releasing's 20th anniversary screenings at the Museum of Modern Art in New York on July 1, 2009.

Autumn Ball (www.sygisball.ee) reached the top 10 in Estonia's box office in 2007 with over 37,000 admissions, an outstanding performance for a domestic art house film.

Strand Releasing specialises in fusing art-house films with commercial product. Its has distributed films by such directors as Manoel de Oliveira, Gaspar Noe, Raoul Ruiz, Ferzan Ozpetek, and Gregg Araki.