MUMBAI: Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired Bruce Beresford dance epic Mao‘s Last Dancer that will have a 6 August release.

The film, a true-life story of Chinese dancer Li Cunxin and his defection to the US and subsequent life in Australia, is directed by Beresford and produced by Jane Scott, from a screenplay by Jan Sardi. The film stars Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan, Joan Chen, Chi Cao and Amanda Schull.

Mao‘s Last Dancer opened in Australia late last year and grossed AUS$15.4 million ($14 million) to become the 12th top grossing Australian film of all time. 

Samuel Goldwyn Films chairman and CEO of Samuel Goldwyn Films Sam Goldwyn Jr. said, Mao‘s Last Dancer is a hauntingly beautiful film with universal appeal that I‘ve been thinking about since Toronto."

Mao‘s Last Dancer was runner up to Precious for the Audience Award at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival and winner of the Audience Award at the 2009 Sao Paulo Film Festival in Brazil.

Mao‘s US domestic pick up follows Sony‘s announcement last week that it had acquired Australian neo western Red Hill for release there this year.