Atom Egoyan will be in the enviable position of having a major U.S. distributor, Sony Pictures Classics, behind his latest feature Adoration when it bows this month in Cannes. The specialty division at Sony has picked up the U.S. rights to the film, which is produced by Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss of The Film Farm.

Sales agent Maximum Films International and Sony ‘have been negotiating for a little while now,’ Urdl tells Playback Daily. ‘It’s a great position to be in…to go to Cannes with both Maximum and Sony behind the film.’ Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Adoration has also been presold to France’s ARP, which handles distribution in French-speaking Europe.

Weiss says the Sony pickup bodes well for other potential international sales, since territories will be able to piggyback on a large U.S. promotional campaign, which will boost awareness and box office in other areas.

‘[Sony] understands these kinds of films and how to market them to the appropriate audiences,’ she adds. Recent Sony titles include Capote, the Penelope Cruz-starrer Volver, Being Julia and Norman Jewison’s The Statement, the latter two produced by Maximum boss Robert Lantos.

Adoration stars Devon Bostick as a teen who uses the Internet to create a new identity. Lantos exec produces through his Serendipity Point Films.

The film premieres in competition at Cannes on May 22, up against other Palme d’Or contenders including the Rhombus Media copro Blindness, Che from Steven Soderbergh and Changeling by Clint Eastwood.

It will be distributed in Canada by Maximum Film Distribution. No release date has been set for Adoration, though Weiss notes that Maximum and Sony will come up with a ‘joint strategy that’s best for the film.’