Sony Pictures Classics has picked up U.S. and Canadian rights to Cannes Festival best screenplay winner Leviathan, The Hollywood Reporter said.

The film, from Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev, is, on the surface, about how a dispute over land in a remote Russian township becomes a stone that casts ripples through a family and a community. Deeper down however, the project is an examination of corruption and flawed justice system.

Leviathan is produced by Alexander Rodnyansky from a script by Zvyagintsev and Oleg Negin. It's Zvyagintsev's fourth feature.

Starring Alexey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova and Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Leviathan is loosely based on the Book of Job. Pyramide Intlernational sold the film in Cannes.

In THR's review, critic Leslie Falperin wrote: "Huge monsters of the deep move under the surface of this powerful, craftily allusive and elusive film, the director’s best and most courageous so far."