Independent US distributor Winstar Cinema has closed a raft of European film acquisitions since Toronto including a three picture deal with Paris-based Celluloid Dreams and Olivier Assayas' Cannes competition entry Les Destinees Sentimentales.

From Celluloid Dreams, Winstar acquired Jafar Panahi's Venice Golden Lion award winner The Circle in addition to Francois Ozon's latest film Under The Sand (Sous Le Sable) featuring Charlotte Rampling which will be released in April 2001 and Girls Can't Swim, the directorial debut of Ann-Sophie Birot which will be released in late 2001.

From Pathe International, Winstar acquired Les Destinees Sentimentales which stars Emmanuelle Beart, Charles Berling and Isabelle Huppert.

From TF1 International, Winstar acquired Comedy Of Innocence, the latest Raoul Ruiz movie which also stars Berling and Huppert.

The deals were concluded by Krysanne Katsoolis, senior vice president of acquisitions at the company.

Winstar has been picking up speed in 2000 with the releases of Edward Yang's Yi Yi, Bruno Dumont's L'Humanite and Leos Carax's Pola X.