Veteran fund initiator Rudolf Wiesmeier and Gerhard Schmidt's Cologne-based production house Gemini Film have joined forces to launch a Euros 150m fund to back a portfolio of internationally marketable English-language feature films.

According to Schmidt the fund, called Living Pictures, is in negotiations with Danny de Vito's Jersey Films and Jan de Bont's Blue Tulip on a number of projects as well as with other companies about projects with such stars as Johnny Depp, Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire attached.

Gemini Film previously served as a production service company for the International West Pictures media fund which was set up by the Commerzbank subsidiary CFB to produce US feature films budgeted between $5m-$20m such as Boat Trip, Bookies and Joe & Max.