Arthouse distributor Empire Pictures is set to launchvideo arm Empire Pictures Home Entertainment this autumn with September 11(11'09"01), the composite work featuringthe responses of 11 film-makers to 9/11.

The divisionwill be headed up by executive vice president and industry veteran StevePennie, who most recently served as director of national accounts for CentralPark Media.

"We are veryexcited at the prospect of delivering to the burgeoning home entertainmentmarketplace the same high calibre of international cinematic fare that we haveconsistently provided to the theatrical market," Empire president EdmondoSchwartz said in a statement.

"And, we'reconfident that Steve Pennie will bring the same special brand of businessacumen and sales expertise to the new Empire Pictures Home Entertainmentdivision that he has made the hallmark of his career to date."

Directors whoparticipated on 11'09"01 include Sean Penn, Mira Nair, Ken Loach and Alejandro GonzalezInarritu.

Empire PicturesHome Entertainment's first wave of releases set for the fourth quarter of 2004include Olivier Dahan's drama La Vie Promise and Yoji Yamada's Oscar nominated drama TheTwilight Samurai.

Other upcomingDVD releases include the two-disc documentary set Yves Saint Laurent, Argentine road comedy Suddenly, Anglo-French Napoleonic period drama MonsieurN, Michel Deville'spost-holocaust drama Almost Peaceful, and the French crime thriller Step By Step.