Highlight Communications' bid for additional Constantin shares has sparked 'controversial discussion' within the German distributor-producer's supervisory and management boards about the possibility of the Swiss media concern effecting a complete takeover.

In a statement, Constantin announced that 'alternative scenarios and possible counter-measures in the sense of Constantin Film's shareholders' were presented by the management board and discussed during a meeting at the end of last week.

Further talks are being planned before a decision is taken on Highlight's bid at the next Constantin Film supervisory board meeting tomorrow evening (April 29).

Speaking to Financial Times Deutschland, Highlight's CEO Bernhard Burgener stressed that his company's "goal is to conduct the negotiations in a friendly manner,' although insiders claim that Highlight and Constantin's main shareholder Bernd Eichinger had agreed a year ago that the two companies would eventually merge.