Germany's Kinowelt has become the operator of the one ofEurope's largest film libraries with its acquisition of all of the theatricaland DVD rights to KirchMedia's 5,500-title back catalogue for the period untiland including 2012.

The deal for the KirchMedia library, which includes 150previously acquired Kirch titles, boosts Kinowelt's film holdings to over 8,500titles.

Ranging from German classics as the 1944 Heinz Ruehmanncomedy Die Feuerzangenbowle and the 1950s Romy Schneider title Sissito costume dramas through to more recent Hollywood fare like Fight Cluband Entrapment. The library also covers rights to several TV seriesincluding Bonanza and Lassie.

This latest coup by Kinowelt comes after the Leipzig-basedcompany took the rights to a package of four films - the multi-Oscar-winning MillionDollar Baby, Mr & Mrs Smith, Guess Who and Stay - fromEpsilon Motion Pictures at the Berlinale last month.