Miramax International appears to have found a new Italian outlet for at least some of its higher profile titles, selling three films to fast-growing Eagle Pictures.

The Italian production and distribution company is understood to have picked up John Frankenheimer's Reindeer Games; Chocolat, directed by Lasse Hallstrom and starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp; and Jez Butterworth's Birthday Girl, with Nicole Kidman and Vincent Cassel.

Miramax has been distributing some titles in Italy through Buena Vista International (BVI) after regular partner the Cecchi Gori Group hit financial troubles. While Cecchi Gori came out with Jane Campion's Holy Smoke in August, Down To You was released in April by BVI.

Reindeer Games, which has a cast including Ben Affleck, was even presented as part of BVI's distribution slate during the Professional Screening Days in Sorrento in June.

Eagle plans to release Reindeer Games in January and Chocolat in February. Birthday Girl might not be released until March, to coincide with a promotional visit by Kidman. Miramax was not immediately available to confirm the move.

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