Distributor Under the Milky Way has picked up Uchenik (The Student) by Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov for North America, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.

The deal for one of Russia's main contributions to the festival circuit this year includes digital and theatrical distribution rights. A theatrical release date wasn't immediately announced.

Internationally represented by Wide, the movie has also been sold to Great Britain, where it will be distributed by Matchbox, Germany, Italy, South Korea, France and several other markets.

After the Cannes premiere, The Student went on to take part in several other festivals, including the Munich Film Festival. The film also brought Serebrennikov the best director award at Russia's biggest national film festival, Kinotavr.

Adapted from the play Martyr by German playwright Marius von Mayenburg, The Student combines a study of religious zealotry with a satirical portrait of contemporary Russia, with its major institutions dominated by ultraconservative and reactionary people.