Alta Films' Enrique Gonzalez Macho is developing his first English-language production for the company, Once In Europa.

Based on the book by John Berger, the £3.5m ($5.8m) film is planned for a May shoot in Spain. According to international production head Ana San Martin, Alta is in talks with UK and French co-producers on the project.

Alta has also joined, as co-producer, the French-language The Revenge Of The Penguin (La Vengeance Du Pingouin) with France's UGC YM and LoreLei. Yves Marmion will take executive producer credits and Guillaume Tunzini will direct the surreal comedy about a Spanish restaurant struggling to stay afloat in an Indian enclave in Paris. The film stars Victoria Abril, Rossy de Palma, Christian Bujeau, Nanou Garcia and Asil Rais, and will shoot in Paris in March with a budget of FFr16m ($2.5m).

New Spanish-language projects in development under Alta production chief Modesto Perez include Divertimiento, starring Paco Rabal and Federico Luppi. Scripted by Manuel Ortega Yanez for debut director Jose Garcia Hernandez, the Pts180m ($1.2m) drama is co-produced with Spanish start-up Complot Cine. The Stanislavsky Effect (El Efecto Stanislavsky), a screwball comedy about a method actor who assumes the personality of one of his roles, reunites the writing team behind Rewind - Rodrigo and Nicolas Munoz - Nicolas Munoz will also direct. Co-produced by Trastiempo, the film is budgeted at Pts160m ($1m) and is set for a May shoot.

Alta is Spain's leading distributor of independent and Spanish film. Two of its forthcoming releases, Conner McPherson's Saltwater and Daniel Calparsoro's Asfalto have been selected for the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival.