[ephelon]

It's quite easy to release the GIL while you are running non-python code.[1] Just be sure that if you touch the Python API that you reaquire the GIL.[2]

[1] http://docs.python.org/c-api/init.html#releasing-the-gil-fro...

[2] http://docs.python.org/c-api/init.html#PyGILState_Ensure