Disney's Buena VistaInternational (BVI) and Spain's leading production and distributioncompany Admira (formerly Telefonica Media) today announced that they arepartnering in Miravista, a Latin American pan-regional film production company.

The move extends apartnership in Argentina where Buena Vista and Admira hold 30% each in leadingproduction house Patagonik Film Group, with Argentinean media giant GrupoClarin and founder/president Pablo Bossi as partners.

Miravista will produce filmsprimarily in Brazil and Mexico although they are open to making films in therest of Latin America and in Europe, particularly Spain. Both companies willcontinue to produce content through Patagonik, the result of which have beensuch recent hits as Nine Queens (NueveReinas) and foreign Oscar contender,Son Of The Bride (Hijo De LaNovia). Sony Pictures Classicspicked up US domestic rights to Nine Queens and is actively pursuing Son Of The Bride, according to BVI President Mark Zoradi.

"Miravista will targetan annual output of four to five movies per country and a 12 to 15 film annualoutput for the entire region," said Diego Lerner, president and managingdirector of The Walt Disney Company Latin America. Zoradi added that they wouldultimately work on a project-by-project basis.

According to Admira managingdirector Ele Juarez, the creation of Miravista dovetailed with Admira'saim "to form strategic alliances to create and distribute content acrossa variety of platforms." To that end, they will be seeking theparticipation of third party local media groups. Other content may includetelenovelas (soap operas) and made-for-TV programming. Free TV rights toMiravista product will go to Admira properties Antena 3 in Spain and to Telefeand TV Azul in Argentina, according to Lerner.

The first production underthe Miravista banner will be (est) $2m romantic comedy, Ladies Night, to be shot in Mexico later this year. Local co-producersare leading television company Televisa and Argos Comunicacion, with thelatter providing production services. Based on an idea and story treatment byBVI marketing senior vice president Ignacio Darnaude and a screenplay by IssaLopez, Ladies Night follows the lives of two young women in Mexico City. "Thefilm serves as a metaphor for the changes in Mexican society, especially amongthe women. Machismo is waning and women in Mexico are growing ever moreconfident," said Darnaude.

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