Pic, which preemed at the Tokyo fest in 2006, is helmed by Yoji Yamada, whose latest effort, "Gabei" (Mother), plays in competition this week in Berlin. A period drama about the downfall of a poison taster earned some $40 million at the Japanese B.O. It will be released in the U.S. in April.

Eleven Arts has previously released Ken Watanabe starrer "Memories of Tomorrow" and "What the Snow Brings." Funimation is best known as a distrib of anime titles, including "Dragonball" and "Dragonball Z."

On the sales front, Eleven Arts sold Japanese erotic drama "Man, Woman and the Wall" to TLA Releasing for the U.S. and U.K. Pic, about a man who can hear too much from his neighbor, is helmed by Masahi Yamamoto.