Munich-based film and music production house F.A.M.E. Film & Music Entertainment, which floated on Frankfurt's Neuer Markt at the end of August, is in talks with two German media funds to support its push into international co-productions.

As F.A.M.E. board member Michael Bischoff explained, changes in German tax legislation have meant that several German film funds are now looking to invest in local productions rather than channel all of their finance into projects in Hollywood. "Several funds have approached us, especially since we produce English-language films, and we are in concrete talks with two of them to see how we could co-operate," Bischoff said.

Bischoff would not name the two funds he is talking to, but pointed out that F.A.M.E. production arm Indigo Film worked earlier this year with the Munich-based fund MBP on Rajko Grlic's Josephine. He added that F.A.M.E. plans to produce another feature with MBP in 2001, but will not acquire a stake in holding company MBP Film as the fund's managing director Rainer Mockert previously indicated (Screen International, Feb 4).

F.A.M.E.'s co-operation agreement with Australia's Becker Entertainment (ScreenDaily, August 1) has already produced $7m futuristic hi-tech thriller Subterano while a partnership with US production house Dream Entertainment has spawned Michael Davis' 100 Girls and 8 Days A Week. The company also has a partnership with the US' Palomar Pictures with which it is co-producing a series of movies called Urban Legends, inspired by the original Universal feature. The project involves several other international co-producers including the UK's Samuelson Productions.

F.A.M.E.'s slate also includes thriller Amok to be directed by hot young German director Peter Thorwarth who recently wrapped a feature-length version of his prize-winning short Was Nicht Passt, Wird Pasend Gemacht.

Meanwhile, F.A.M.E.'s figures for the first nine months of 2000 showed a 23% increase in sales over the same period in 1999 to $8.4m (DM18.6m) with particular growth in the areas of film trading, international co-production and music production.