Paris-based Senorita Films and Seoul’s Zamie Pictures have acquired option rights for their  own versions of Sean Garrity’s My Awkward Sexual Adventure.

Senorita Films optioned French-language remake rights, while Zamie Pictures optioned Korean-language remake rights, to Garrity’s sex comedy about a conservative accountant who enlists an exotic dancer to help him with his sexual skills so he can win back his ex-girlfriend.

Jonas Chernick, who wrote the script, produced and stars in the film, says he didn’t expect so much interest for the film’s remake rights from other countries, adding that there’s also been interest in the remake rights from India.

“We always felt we were telling a quintessentially Canadian story that we hoped would resonate internationally. To think that we made a film for local audiences that connects universally….As a writer, it really supports the idea that [telling your own stories] through specificity, you find universality,” Chernick tells Playback via email.

He cites Focus Magazine’s 2010 study of the seven sin categories, which ranked South Korea as the most lustful nation in the world, as a possible explanation for the nation’s interest.

“As for France, the producer who optioned the remake rights was simply excited by the story, and by the fact that, according to her, France doesn’t make ‘sex comedies.’ She claims that our Western stereotype of the sexually liberated, free-spirited French is, in fact, the opposite, and that they’re a rather sexually uptight society. She wants to kick-start the French sex comedy genre, which I think is great,” Chernick adds.

In North America, Phase 4 Films is releasing My Awkward Sexual Adventure theatrically in Canada on April 19 while Tribeca Films in the U.S. is planning a March 19 release.

My Awkward Sexual Adventure has also been sold into territories including Australia (Rialto Distribution), Benelux (Premiere), France (E1), Germany (Euro Video), Hong Kong (Edko Films), Hungary (ADS0, South Africa (E1), Russia and CIS (Premium), Scandinavia (E1), South Korea (Joy-N-Contents), Spain (Alimpro Films) and the U.K. (E1).

The film, produced by Chernick of Banana-Moon Sky Films and Juliette Hagopian of julijette inc., had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, and was later named one of TIFF’s top 10 films of 2012. It won the people’s choice award at CIFF and audience award at the Whistler Film Festival, where it screened as part of the Borsos competition.

Brady Bowen of Archstone Distribution negotiated the remake option deals on behalf of Hagopian and Chernick.