Maple Pictures has secured the Canadian rights to the Israeli war drama Lebanon, following its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The deal, unveiled Monday, was negotiated by Maple SVP of distribution John Bain and Violaine Pichon of Celluloid Dreams, which is handling international sales on the film.

Lebanon recently won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for director Samuel Moaz, who penned the story based on his experiences during Israel’s war with Lebanon in the 1980s. The film is shot almost entirely inside an Israeli tank from the point of view of three young soldiers.

‘We are proud to be acquiring such a powerful film,’ commented Maple co-president Laurie May in a release, adding that Moaz, ‘has given us a timely story that resonates profoundly and stays with the audience long after they have left the theatre.’

The film will be released in early 2010, though no date has been determined. Sony Pictures Classics has the U.S. rights.

The picture played in TIFF’s Visions program, sidestepping the turmoil that and audience award winner Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire.