Paris-based sales house Celluloid Dreams will add theatricaldistribution to its sales and finance activities beginning in February 2005.According to Le Film Francais (an EMAP stablemate of Screen International) thesales outfit run by Hengameh Panahi has created a subsidiary to be known asCelluloid Dreams Distribution to be run by Stephane Auclaire.

The new Celluloid Dreams Distribution aims to release five toseven films a year beginning with Marebito by Takashi Shimizu, thedirector of Ju-On, which has recently been remade as The Grudge.Other films on the 2005 roster are understood to include Ondi Timoner'sdocumentary Dig, Matthew Barney's The Cremaster Cycle, BorisKhlebnikov's Return To Koktebel and Alexei Popogrebsky and JunIchikawa's Tony Takitani, all of which Celluloid representsinternationally.

Celluloid chief, Hengameh Panahi said that the distributioncompany may acquire films from other sales companies and that internationalsales would remain the principal activity of the group. "We will only releasefilms to which our way of working is best suited." However, Celluloid will alsorelease films theatrically in Germany where the company has concluded a dealwith local distributor Fabien Arseguel.

Earlier this year another French sales company Wild Bunch tookcontrol of local distribution via the acquisition of theatrical company PanEuropeenne Distribution.

Celluloid was closed for the holidays and could not be reached fordirect comment.