Spain's Luna is to up theante by directing Moscow Zero, a $18mproduction and a significant increase on the budgets for her previous films, Stranded and Whore.

The film is to be made undera new label, Valentia Pictures, designed for higher-budget movies, said Whoreand Moscow Zero producer Jose Magan who previously operated under the labelDolores Pictures. Currently in final negotiations with several well knownactors believed to include Christina Ricci, MoscowZero will be financed entirely by pre-sales like Stranded and Whore, saidthe producer.

Luna, whose real name isMaria Lidon, specialises in attracting well-known Hollywood stars to herEnglish-language productions - Vincent Gallo starred in Stranded, while Darryl Hannah and Denise Richards feature in hernew movie Whore, which premiered lastmonth at the Malaga Film Festival. It also screened in Tribeca and has beensold to Screen Media for a five-city release in the US this September, saidMagan.