United International Pictures (UIP) and Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (CTFDI) have unveiled a long-term agreement that will see UIP release CFTDI pictures in Poland.

UIP will distribute CFTDI films in Poland such as Maid In Manhattan (June 13), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (July 4), Anger Management (July 25), and Terminator 3 in August. The UIP summer slate already includes Italian Job, 2 Fast and 2 Furious, The Hulk, American Pie The Wedding and Lara Croft Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life.

"Poland is a fast developing market and we are excited at the opportunity this deal gives us to make all of our operations more effective," said Urszula Malska, manager of UIP's office in Poland.

Poland, which is set to join the EU in May 2004, looks set to become an increasingly important market - and already can provide decent box office returns for distributors. By way of example, New Line International's The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers opened in the territory in January with a $1.8m take from 135 screens.

Stewart Till, chairman and CEO of United International Pictures commented: "We are already working with Sony in other areas, and I'm delighted to extend our co-operation in this way."

Mark Zucker, senior executive vice president of CFTDI, added, "Considering the high expectations for our product this year and next, it's a perfect time to align with a distributor as successful and respected as UIP. Sony's pictures will surely benefit from the combined expertise of our companies."