A closer working collaboration between German distributors Kinowelt and Ottfilm looks to be on the cards.

The two are planning to jointly release Lone Scherfig's Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself on September 18, with Filmwelt acting as an agency to handle the film's physical distribution.

Kinowelt's Georg Miros told ScreenDaily.com that the cooperation between Kinowelt and Ottfilm was restricted to the release of Wilbur at the moment, but confirmed that "a further reaching collaboration can not be discounted. I am not prepared or allowed to say anything more at present."

This new development comes after several weeks of rumour and speculation about the financial state of health of Ottfilm, after Wilbur's start date was suddenly put back from July to September.

This was allegedly "at the request of the director and producer" although the film's sales agent Trust Film Sales told Screen that it was due to "some restructuring in the company". Other films such as the feature documentaries in The Blues series were postponed indefinitely, while yet more films such as the comedy Sieben Zwerge - Maenner Allein Im Wald - passed from Ottfilm to UIP.

Industry insiders suggested that the release postponements had been due to cash flow problems and Ottfilm's search for new financiers after the Aurum debacle. Whether Kinowelt in fact turns out to be the white knight remains to be seen.