Michael Gentile, producer ofCritics' Week title Calvaire, hasannounced new projects from his companyThe Film. In Cannes, Gentile signed a deal for the rights to Maurice Leblanc's book L'Ile Aux 30 Cerceuils, or Coffin Island. The film based on thebook will be made for about Euros 8m-10m according to Gentile who calls it anadventure movie in the spirit of Conan Doyle or The Count Of Monte Cristo.

Also in the works is NikolaiGalizeine's Englilsh language La Nuit DeL'Apocalypse about the French town of Pont St Esprit which suffered a masspoisoning in 1951 due to some dodgy bread.

Gentile will partner withEugenie Grandval's Mr Smith, a company the former Crossroads and October exechas set up in Paris. Together they will produce Code 71, a part fiction, part documentary about a politicalconspiracy that led to the untimely deaths of some of rock's legendarymusicians. The film will shoot next year on a Euros 5m or 6m budget.