Pic, a Spanish-language fusion of sci-fi and aspirational saga by first-time helmer Alex Rivera, was a slow-burn surprise at the recent fest. It opened to a modest reception but built critical word of mouth through the event and finished the fest by picking up the Alfred P. Sloan and Waldo Salt Screenwriting awards. In the coming week, "Sleep" screens in the Berlinale Panorama section and in the EFM.

Fortissimo inked early foreign rights deals on the pic with Roadshow for Australia/New Zealand, Svensk for Scandinavia and with pubcaster NHK for Japanese TV.

Pic is the first to emerge from Likely Story, the new shingle headed by production veteran Anthony Bregman ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "The Tao of Steve"). Likely Story slate also boasts upcoming Charlie Kaufman pic "Synechdoche, New York," with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, and Dianne Wiest, and horror-thriller "Carrier" by David and Alex Pastor, which is skedded for release through Paramount Vantage.

" 'Sleep Dealer' is an extremely smart, cool, scary and visually stimulating look at the near future. (Rivera) is a young new talent who is destined to make waves," Fortissimo co-chief Michael J. Werner said.

IFC was widely tipped as a fave to pick up North American rights, but with several companies still circling, lawyer Andrew Hurwitz has yet to close a domestic deal.