International sales agent HarmonyGold has acquired global distribution rights - excluding North Americantheatrical - to fledgling production company Paia Pictures' teen comedy GoingDown.

The picture, which centreson a seemingly unstoppable house party, is due to open theatrically in LosAngeles on Friday (Apr 11), followed by a 54-city domestic platform roll-out.

The 20-year-old Harmony Goldhas bought international theatrical rights and worldwide rights to broadcast,pay-per-view and video in a move to increase its worldwide audience acrossmultiple platforms and expand its roster of long-term programming.

'Going Down has the same comedic appeal found in AmericanPie, Risky Business and FastTimes At Ridgemont High,'Melissa Wohl, vice president of sales and acquisitions, said in a statement.

Joseph A Pineda directed andthe picture stars Jay Michael Ferguson, Joshua Blake and Christine Lakin.

Going Down is the first feature release from Paia Pictures, aproduction company set up by former music industry executive Bill Ferguson in1999. To date the company has also produced 12 short films.

Paia plans to take thefamily drama Brothers, Blues And Barstools into production in November, while the sequel Going Down In Miami is scheduled to go into production in Mar 2004.