Gianni Nunnari'sHollywood Gang Productions has optioned movie rights to Eleven Minutes, the bestselling novel by Paolo Coelho,who also wrote the worldwide hit The Alchemist.

ElevenMinutes centres on ayoung Brazilian girl's quest for romantic satisfaction as she navigates thewaters of sexual pleasure and true love.

The titlederives from the apparent fact that the average sexual encounter lasts 11minutes. The book was published in 2003 and went on to become a bestseller inmore than 50 countries.

Nunnari will serve as producer on the project. HollywoodGang Productions' vice president of creative affairs Nathalie Peter-Contesse isthe executive in charge of production and vice president of business and legalaffairs Craig J Flores will serve as executive producer. Flores negotiated thedeal.

"'ElevenMinutes' underlyingtheme of sex, love and self-realisation, combined with its true-to-lifecharacters and gritty locales have captured the imagination of readersthroughout the world,' Coehlo said in a statement.

'I amcertain that with the infusion of the right creative and on-screen talent, itwill translate and evolve into an evocative and compelling motion picture."

Nunnari set upHollywood Gang Productions in 1997 and the company aims to develop, produce andco-finance three to five titles each year.

It is preparing severalprojects for a late 2005-early 2006 start, including Il Sorpasso written by Carl Lund and to be directed by SteveRamser, and Plastic, based onFernanda Young's best-selling Brazilian novel A Sombra Das Vossas Asas.