Germany's Constantin Film has sold a package of free TV, pay-TV and video/DVD rights to broadcasters such as Kirch Media and ZDF and video companies VCL Film + Medien and BMG Video for a total $42.5m (DM90m).

Constantin licensed video/DVD rights to a total 15 films in two packages. VCL took a package including Edward Norton's Keeping The Faith, Jackie Chan-starrer Shanghai Noon and sci-fi thriller Mission To Mars. The second package, which went to BMG, includes Jean-Jacques Annaud's Enemy At The Gates and the Constantin and Bavaria Film co-production Schule. The guaranteed minimum licence fees across both deals amount to $6.9m (DM14.7m).

Free and pay-TV rights to features such as American Pie and local box-office success Crazy, mini-series Vera Bruhne and series Rosa Roth were separately sold to broadcasters including Kirch Media, Sat1 and state broadcaster ZDF. The total licence fees agreed amount to $35.7m (DM75.5m).

As Constantin complies with US accounting practices in regards to film assets, all licence contracts are not reflected in sales until the licensing period starts - six months after theatrical release in the case of video/DVD rights - and 18-24 months after theatrical release in the case of TV rights. As a result, the current crop of licensing deals won't impact on Constantin's sales and income until the 2001 and 2002 financial years. However Constantin said it still expects to increase sales by 60% in 2000 to $96.9m (DM205m).