New York-based KOCH Lorber Films has picked up domestic rightsfrom Wild Bunch to Claude Chabrol's thriller A Comedy Of Power (L'Ivresse Du Pouvoir).

The distributor plans an initial limited release in New York Cityin January 2007 followed by major market expansion and DVD release later in theyear.

A Comedy Of Power stars Isabelle Huppert as a French investigative judge who bringsdown a corrupt corporate executive played by Francois Berleand. The picturereceived its world premiere at Berlin earlier this year.

KOCH Lorber has also acquiredChabrol's 1978 crime drama Violette Nozierestarring Huppert and will release it on DVD at the same time as the DVD releaseof A Comedy Of Power.

'Following our box office success with [Andre Techine's] ChangingTimes, here we haveanother gem from a world class director and star at the peak of theirrespective forms,' KOCH Lorber president Richard Lorber said of AComedy Of Power.

'After a wonderful run onthe festival circuit, this multi-layered dark comedy will certainly find anincredibly receptive audience when it unspools at the beginning of nextyear.'

KOCH LorberFilms' DVD releases include La Dolce Vita, The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg,Intimacy, The Five Obstructions, and Changing Times.