Nicolas Chartier- the co-founder of Vortex Pictures and former sales and acquisitionsexecutive at Myriad Pictures - has left Vortex to head up the US officefor Arclight Films.

Chartier, whoseappointment became effective yesterday (Apr 15), will oversee all sales andacquisitions activities and will serve as the point person between Arclight,partner Spice Factory and the film fund Movision.

In addition hewill be responsible for finding films, specifically from Europe and Australia,for Arclight to co-produce and finance internationally. The company is known tobe keen to work with studio-based producers with European projects and torelease quality films either independently or through the studio system.

"This is the beginning of a very productiveassociation and I look forward to helping Arclight expand and further developan international presence," Chartier said in a statement.

Chartier has anextensive history in the area of European co-productions. He joined KirkDiAmico's Myriad Pictures in 1999, making international sales on KillingMe Softly, People I Know, Double Whammy and Van Wilder, among others.

In Aug 2001 heand Dean Shapiro launched foreign sales company Vortex Pictures, which is ownedby Gold Circle Films. Vortex titles include My Big Fat Greek Wedding, TheMan from Elysian Fieldsand Poolhall Junkies.

Arclight Films was set up nearly one year ago and is led bymanaging director Gary Hamilton and chairman Victor Syrmis. Its slate featuresJohn Duigan's Head in the Clouds,starring Charlize Theron and Penelope Cruz, A Different Loyalty, starring Sharon Stone and Rupert Everett, and Love'sBrother, starring Giovanni Ribisi and AdamGarcia.