Despite Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu‘s Biutiful being listed by the IMDB as attached to Focus Features, a rep tells me it’s not a Focus Features domestic title and that the film doesn’t have a domestic distributor just yet. She added that CAA’s Beth Swofford is handling all requests. I called and left a message, etc. I also asked Inarritu directly…zip.

Javier Bardem , Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu.

The loglines — “a man involved in illegal dealing is confronted by his childhood friend, who is now a policeman” plus “a man (Bardem) who has recently lost a lover” — and the Barcelona shooting location indicates a smallish Spanish-language character drama. Javier Bardem is the star but I don’t even know if he’s the cop or the dealer. (Anyone?) Sounds like a 2010 release with a possible Cannes debut (AGI is one of their favorites) next May. So much for the ’09 Oscar Balloon, which was only based on spitball presumption in the first place.