Fresh off its Palme d'Or win at Cannes, Michael Haneke's "Amour"  has a U.S. release date that will set it up nicely for the major American film awards.

Sony Pictures Classics said Tuesday that it will release the critically heralded drama on  December 19 in New York and Los Angeles. The film is widely expected to be a top contender for the Oscar for best foreign film. 

Also read: Cannes Review: In 'Amour,' the Agony and Beauty of Enduring Love [4]

At Cannes, it beat out other acclaimed films like Jacques Audiard's  "Rust and Bone" and Matteo Garrone's "Reality." 

Writing in TheWrap after seeing the film at Cannes, critic Sasha Stone raved, "Written and directed by Haneke, this French film is probably headed straight for Oscar's foreign language race, where it will likely win. That is, unless some silly procedural error derails its chances. It will be, along with a few other films here in Cannes, one of the best films of the year."

Though Haneke's previous films like "Funny Games" and "Code Unknown" were considered cold and critical examinations of human frailty, "Amour," with a title that translates as "love,"  is considered to be more emotionally accessible work. That warmth could also strengthen its commercial possibilities. 

This marks the third joint project between Haneke and Sony Pictures Classics, which also released "Cache" and "The White Ribbon."