Italy's leading distributor, Medusa, has dealt another serious blow to struggling competitor and former number one Cecchi Gori.

The Cecchi Gori Group's veteran acquisitions executive Faruk Alatan has ended his 16-year relationship with the group to join Medusa and its sister company, rights trading arm Mediatrade, as international film acquisitions consultant. He will report to Mediatrade chief Roberto Pace and Medusa head Carlo Bernasconi. Medusa's head buyer, Clare McArdle will continue with her duties as before.

Alatan's arrival marks another coup for Medusa, which already has a string of hits under its belt this year with Gabriele Muccino's bittersweet comedy The Last Kiss, Ferzan Ozpetek's Berlin title Ignorant Fairies and Mel Gibson-starrer What Women Want.

Medusa's recent buying bonanza includes full rights to New Line's Lord Of The Rings trilogy and the next three titles by Woody Allen, whose films had until now been distributed by Cecchi Gori.

While Medusa currently enjoys a market share of 22.9% well ahead of its nearest rival, UIP, Cecchi Gori is struggling without any titles in the top 20, and a market share of under 5%.

Cecchi Gori's well-documented financial troubles have indeed forced it to scale back on acquisitions - which will now be coordinated from Los Angeles by Cecchi Gori Pictures president Gianni Nunnari and cut back on production. Adding to the company's woes, recent Cecchi Gori-made Italian comedies such as Adesso Sesso (It's Time For Sex) have been failing to attract much of a crowd at the box office.