Shebnem Askinhas been appointed head of 2929 International, the fledgling internationalsales arm of Los Angeles-based 2929 Entertainment owned by the billionaire duoTodd Wagner and Mark Cuban.

Askin, who arrivesfrom Pandora/Gaylord Films, will handle worldwide sales on the theatrical outputof 2929 Productions and HDNet Films, the sister companies owned by 2929Entertainment.

The appointmentmarks the latest in a series of aggressive expansion moves that has seen Wagnerand Cuban acquire Landmark Theatres and domestic distributor Magnolia Pictureswithin the last year.

Other recenthighlights include the launch of low-cost high definition production arm HDNetFilms, which aims to produce up to eight pictures a year budgeted at $1m-$2m.2929 Productions produces projects in the $10m-$30m budget range.

The creation ofan international sales arm is the latest piece in the jigsaw for Wagner andCuban, and all that remains now is a home entertainment operation.

"With 2929International, we now have the ability to round out the domestic and internationaldistribution alternatives for our growing library of content," Wagner said in astatement.

Askin spent sixyears at Pandora/Gaylord Films handling sales on certain Warner Bros titlesincluding White Oleander and A Walk To Remember, as well as independent titles like Donnie Darko and Company Man.

Prior to Pandorashe served as vice-president in charge of co-productions for Trimark, where hercredits included Fridaand Let The Devil Wear Black. Before that she was president of director Alfonso Arau'sproduction company, Seventh Dimension.

Current 2929projects include Criminal, a co-production with Section Eight released through WarnerIndependent Pictures (WIP), and psychodrama The Jacket, starring Adrien Brody and KeiraKnightley and set for release through WIP on Mar 11 2005.

HDNet Films startedproduction earlier this year on three pictures, namely the dark comedy QuidPro Quo, political drama Over TheMountains, and an Enron documentary.