Maple Pictures has picked up the British drama We Want Sex, sending the story of a 1960s labor strike into theaters for 2010.

The film by director Nigel Cole (Calendar Girls) recounts a famous walk-out at the Ford plant in Dagenham — which saw female workers strike over sexual discrimination. It is recalled as a significant move towards women’s rights in the U.K.

The title refers to a banner, carried during one demonstration, which accidentally omitted the word ‘equality.’

It is ‘an extremely rousing film,’ says Maple co-president Laurie May, in a release. ‘With Calendar Girls and others, Nigel Cole has a proven track record of producing popular and resonant stories to a broad range of movie-goers.’

The deal was negotiated by Maple SVP of distribution John Bain and by Tim Haslam of HanWay Films.