Samsara - a Himalayan-set story of one man's struggle to find spiritual and sexual freedom that was written and directed by Pan Nalin, a Paris-based Indian director - is among several cross-cultural projects being sold by MIFED debutant Orfeo, the Cologne-based outfit formed earlier this year as a joint venture between Christa Saredi and German producer Pandora.

In addition, Orfeo has picked up Firefly Dreams, a Japanese drama about inter-generational relationships which Orfeo head Helen Loveridge describes as "a top end art-house film with touches of Ozu." The director is John Williams, a Welshman who is a long-term resident in Japan.

Also on offer is Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding, currently shooting in Delhi with the backing of the Independent Film Channel. The film follows five inter-locking stories, each of themes investigating different aspects of love, crossing boundaries of class and morality. Cinematography is by the celebrated Declan Quinn, photographer on Kama Sutra, Leaving Las Vegas and Vanya On 42nd Street.

Also on Orfeo's slate is Bear's Kiss, a circus road movie by Sergei Bodrov, the Russian director of Prisoner Of The Mountains, that is a German, French, Italian and Spanish co-production.