Growing Mexican heavyweight Alta Vista Films has boarded No News From God (Sin Noticias De Dios), a Spanish-language comedy starring Penelope Cruz and Victoria Abril. The film is handled internationally by TF1 International.

Through distribution partner Nu Vision, Alta Vista may take rights to all Latin America, following the model of last year's runaway box office hit and Oscar-nominated Amores Perros (Love's A Bitch). Nu Vision recently unveiled plans to double its releases to all Latin America to as many as 22 films in 2001.

News' portfolio of producers - including Flamenco Films (Sp), Cartel (Sp), Tornasol Films (Sp), DMVB (Fr), Eyescreen (It) and Road Movies (Ger) - contributed to the film's hefty $6.7m (pts1,200m) budget, a generous shooting schedule of 12 weeks, and plans to give the film a grade-A international launch.

No News From God marks the much-anticipated return to directing for Agustin Diaz Yanes, whose debut film Nobody Will Talk About Us When We're Dead took critics and the local Goya Awards by storm. Cruz and Abril star as a bad and good angel respectively, fighting for the soul of a boxer. Mexico's Demian Bichir and Amores Perros lead Gael Garcia Bernal co-star alongside Fanny Ardant and a stellar supporting cast of Spanish actors.