German film and music production house, F.A.M.E. Film & Music Entertainment, is launching a 100% owned London-based subsidiary, F.A.M.E. UK, on Jan 1, 2001, to develop and produce English-language features.

The Munich-based company is expected to appoint a UK film professional to head the operation, which is currently the responsibility of F.A.M.E executive board members Thomas Haeberle and Michael Bischoff.

F.A.M.E., which made its Neuer Markt debut in August, has already produced two English-language features - Sebastian Niemann's 7 Days To Live, starring the UK's Sean Pertwee and Amanda Plummer, and Rajko Grlic's Josephine, which was backed by German fund MBP. The company said its London office would give it "direct access to English screenwriters, directors and producers" as part of its on-going strategy to internationalise its in-house pool of talent.

F.A.M.E. recently struck a three-year agreement with Australia's Becker Entertainment to jointly develop and produce a raft of features over the next three years (ScreenDaily, August 1). The deal has already produced $7m futuristic hi-tech thriller Subterano. The company also has production partnerships with US production houses Dream Entertainment and Palomar Pictures.