Montreal-based production and distribution house H2VEntertainment's Manga Latina Productions, along with UK-based UKFS as afinancing co-producer, have teamed up with the UK's Treehouse Productions toturn AP Comics' first full-colour comic book Monster Club into an animated feature film.

Additionally, Manga Latina will team up with Treehouse Productionsto turn its property Alien & Ajax into a full-length feature animated film. H2V Entertainmentis currently in production on the animated feature Slinky, The Magic Quilt.

Monster Club follows the story of a high school student who is recruited to asecret organisation to uncover the cause of a series of bizarre events at herboarding school.

The picture is beingco-directed by H2V co-founder and chief executive officer Henrique Vera-Villanuevaand Treehouse Productions chief Phil Littler, with Littler serving as headwriter based on the screenplay he co-wrote with Vera-Villanueva.

Alien & Ajax tells the story of a crown prince extra-terrestrial who tries toleave his planet to avoid his leadership duties. Vera-Villanueva, Manuel Garciaand Drew Mandigo will co-direct based on an original story by Vera-Villanuevaand screenplay by Littler and Kathryn Klassen.

Both feature films will beexecutive produced by H2V Entertainment's Louie Porco and Vera-Villanueva.

Monster Club will be a UK-Canada co-production, while Alien & Ajax will be a UK-Spain-Canada co-production,with the production teams to include UKFS and Treehouse Productions in the UK,Excalibur Animacion in Spain and Manga Latina Productions in Canada.

"I'm thrilled to bring the fresh concepts from Treehouse and APComics, plus their unique take on characters, to the world of featureanimation," Vera-Villanueva said in a statement.

"We are excited to be wrapping three films with our partners UKFSand we are eagerly moving into production on our next three films.

"Along with Slinky, The Magic Quilt, both Monster Club and Alien & Ajax make it a busy and exciting time at H2VEntertainment."

"H2V was the most exciting commercial film-making proposition wehave come across," UKFS founder Antony Blakey said. "The team is focused,professional and just plain nice to work with. This was what prompted our UKFSfilm partnerships to want to fund 100% of these projects on a long-term basis."

"All the team at Treehouse Productions is absolutely thrilled tohave such a great opportunity to demonstrate our experienced and highlyproficient animation skills with such revered companies as H2V and UKFS,"Littler added.

"With Treehouse Productions beingable to offer years of experience in the animation industry, with both 2-D andCGI studios as well as editing and screenwriting facilities, working with sucha young and dynamic company as H2V is an ideal partnership to provide a higherclass of excellence within field of animation."

H2VEntertainment is currently in post-production on its first three animatedfeature films Manga Latina: Killer On The Loose, Monica Made In America and Pinatas and its division H2V Kids is currentlyin production on Slinky, The Magic Quilt, which is due to be released in autumn 2005.

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