German sales agent EuroArts Entertainment and the New York-based production house Snapper Films have formed a development and production alliance.

Under the three-year deal, the two expect to produce at least two English-language pictures a year with budgets in the $5m region. "What we are looking for is films in three genres; thrillers, family and romantic comedies," said Snapper chief Juha Wuolijoki.

The first project to be co-developed and financed under the new deal is Luci's Prayer, scripted by Stigmata writer Rick Ramage, which is likely to shoot in the first quarter of 2002. Although other pictures could be first before the cameras. "The great thing about working in this budget range and with this set-up is that we can greenlight quickly and shoot anywhere."

EuroArts, which is headed by Bernd Hellthaler, may provide post-production facilities and European co-production partners as well as finance and sales. "They have the ability to fully finance the pictures, but in the case of European co-productions will bring in local partners and subsidy money from national funds and from the MEDIA Programme." Snapper recently announced that it had optioned the film rights to the Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally's play A Perfect Ganesh.

Production is planned for mid-2002. Previous credits include Tony Bui's Three Seasons and Down To You, both co-produced with Open City Films. EuroArts credits include 1991 foreign-language Oscar winner Journey Of Hope and Istvan Szabo's Offenbach's Secret.