With Harvey and Bob Weinstein just weeks away fromfinalising their exit deal from The Walt Disney Co, the rumour mill in Berlinis running on overdrive about their future - and their international plans areat the heart of the speculation.

If the brothers' plans to create a new home forWeinstein-friendly film-makers like Quentin Tarantino, Michael Moore, AnthonyMinghella, Kevin Smith and Robert Rodriguez are realised, buyers will beslavering for the product.

But it has emerged that the Weinsteins are negotiating forDisney's Buena Vista International (BVI) to retain territories on some ofthe company's new films. That goes some way towards explainDisney's cooperation with the brothers on their recent multi-territoryacquisitions such as Mrs Henderson Presents, Wolf Creek and The Matador. All three are scheduled to go out domesticallythrough the new, unnamed Weinstein company.

Outside BVI territories, the brothers could easily work withsales companies initially. Buyers are reporting that Arclight Films, which soldWolf Creek to Miramax, has since beenretained by the Weinsteins to sell individual territories on their behalf.These include Latin America, Spain, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand andBenelux. Arclight declined to comment for this article.

Talk has also been swirling about a potential distributionarrangement in Europe between the Weinsteins and France's Pathe Cinema,which has distribution operations in France, the UK and Benelux.

That rumour has been fuelled by Miramax's aggressionin snapping up Pathe films in the last year for North America and otherterritories including Bride And Prejudice,which opened in the US on Friday, Dear Frankie, Sprung (aka The Magic Roundabout) and last week Mrs Henderson Presents, the Stephen Frears film for which Miramax stumpedup a reported $8m.

No serious discussion has taken place, however, and cannotuntil the Disney negotiations are concluded.