Miramax Films has acquired worldwide distribution rights excluding UK free TV to BBC Films' Eastern Promises, a contemporary thriller set in an immigrant community.

The film is written by Steven Knight, who also wrote Dirty Pretty Things, another BBC Film which Miramax handled worldwide.

BBC Films chief David Thompson is executive producing Eastern Promises which is scheduled to begin production before the end of the year. Miramax International head Stuart Ford, and Elizabeth Macfarlane, vice president of UK business and legal affairs, negotiated the agreement on behalf of Miramax. Jane Wright and Isabel Begg negotiated the agreement on behalf of BBC Films.