Italiandistributor Moviemax, fresh from a hefty cash boost by new majority shareholderMondo Home Entertainment, has acquired Italian distribution rights to five USfilms, including Sundance premieres LuckyNumber Slevin and Alpha Dog.

Lucky Number Slevin, which is directed by Paul McGuigan, is a dramaabout a man who finds himself in the middle of a plot to kill one of New York'sbiggest crime bosses. The film stars Josh Hartnett and Morgan Freeman.

Sundanceclosing film Alpha Dog is directed byNick Cassavetes and stars Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis andSharon Stone, in the story of a drug dealer who becomes one of the youngest menever to be placed on the FBI's Most Wanted List.

Moviemaxhas also picked up local rights to romance AskThe Dust, starring Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek, comedy Trust the Man with Maggie Gyllenhaal andDavid Duchovny, and In the Land of Womenwith Meg Ryan.

TheRome-based company's upcoming slate also features Danish animation film Terkel.

Moviemaxand Mondo Home Entertainment CEO Guglielmo Marchetti said the company's latest"prestigious acquisitions are a concrete sign of a profitablecollaboration between the two companies, which has allowed us in the space of afew days, to start building up a slate with a high commercial potential."

MondoHE is Italy's leading company in the home entertainment and video-on-demandsector. Its recent acquisition of a 51% stake in Moviemax, whose creditsinclude the successful Italian release of DonnieDarko last year, marks its entry in the theatrical distribution sector.

Itsparent company, Mondo TV, is Italy's premier animation outfit and is only thesecond entertainment company after Mediaset to be listed on the Milan StockExchange.