Buena Vista International Spain (BVIS) has committed to co-producing two to three local feature films per year, according to BVIS general manager Javier Vasallo.

The company had its first taste of the market last year with Spanish-Argentine co-production Clams And Mussels (Almejas Y Mejillones), which was among the 12 top grossing films in Spain during 2000.

"There is a good opportunity in the Spanish market to make Spanish product, and obviously some of these products are also exportable" Vasallo says, adding that the company could handle international sales "through our international companies."

An additional motivation for the decision, according to Vasallo, is "to add to our slate of films: normally we have about 15 [films] from studios and we have the structure to easily distribute 25 or more films."

Current BVIS projects in the works are: El Florido Pensil, a drama set in a Spanish school during the 1960's, in co-production with World Entertainment for director Juan Jose Porto; and Cosa De Brujas, a psychological thriller from director Jose Miguel Juarez (Tell Laura I Love Her) in co-production with Clams And Mussels partner Alma Ata.

In addition, BVIS will continue to pick up a small handful of local titles for distribution. Forthcoming Spanish releases include One Of The Hollywood Ten (Oct 31), Solo Mia (Oct 31), Dirty Vivancos- The Sequel (Vivancos El Sucio III) (Dec 14) and The Bad Side Of The Bed (El Lado Malo De La Cama) (date TBC). The company released local animated film The Enchanted Forest (El Bosque Animado) in August.

Last year BVIS signed a deal with Spanish broadcaster Telecinco whereby BVIS will handle an average six to eight titles annually acquired by the broadcaster both theatrically and, through Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE), on video.

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