Spanish director Ventura Pons is preparing his English-language debut, Food Of Love, which he will co-produce with start-up production and sales outfit 42nd Street Productions, backed by German facilities giant Das Werk (ScreenDaily, February 5).

42nd Street CEO Thomas Spieker said he is seeking international partners for the project, a drama about the relationship between a young piano student and his musician mentor, based on David Leavitt's acclaimed novel The Page Turner. Food is being prepped for a summer shoot on Euros2m.

Other films on 42nd Street's slate include the Euros2.7m psycho-thriller Fausto 5.0, which began shooting this week. Fausto is directed by avant-garde theatre group La Fura dels Baus - composed of Isidro Ortiz, Alex Olle and Carlos Padrissa - and stars Eduard Fernandez (The Werewolves Of Washington), Miguel Angel Sola (Tango) and Najwa Nimri (Before Night Falls). Cartel and Fausto Producciones co-produce.

Popular film and TV personality El Gran Wyoming (Dying Of Laughter) will star in offbeat detective comedy Dirty Vivancos, alongside Javier Gurruchaga, Juan Luis Galiardo and Anna Galiena. The Euros2.8m Spanish-language co-production with Rodar Y Rodar Cine y Television and broadcaster Telecinco is set to shoot from March under first-time feature director Albert Saguer.

Finally, Naked Night (La Noche Desnuda) will mark the writing and directing debut of Spanish actress Silvia Tortosa. Christian Routh, formerly with the European Script Fund, is collaborating on the script about a forbidden love between a married, wealthy white woman and a young black kick-boxer. Planned for an autumn shoot, the Euros1.4m Night is a sole production of 42nd Street.

42nd Street's Lil Broo is handling international sales on all four films.