Canada's Equinox Films and Italy's Video Lucky Cinematografica are forming a joint film and TV production and distribution outfit in Italy, to be called Equinox Films Italia.

Among the feature titles on their joint production slate are Vincent Spano's Orchids In The Moonlight, about two young Italian actors who hope to make it big in Hollywood but end up in Toronto; Elide Cortesi's Envy (L'invidia), a women-driven story; and Emile Grandeault's Mambo Italiano. featuring Paul Sorvino and Luke Kirby and revolving around an Italian-Canadian family whose lives are thrown into turmoil by the discovery that their son is gay.

Commenting their new alliance, Equinox CEO Michael Mosca said: "In the last few years, both the Italian and Canadian film industries have become more vital as has been demonstrated by the increased presence of our films at film festivals."

"Now with this agreement we can take advantage of the creativity that exists in both countries and guarantee that our films get a chance to penetrate both the Italian and European markets," he added in a statement.

Equinox Films Italia's new distribution label will launch next year with Korean hit My Wife Is A Gangster by Cho Jin-Kyum. Miramax has acquired US remake rights.

Other titles on the new Rome-based outfit's distribution slate include Korean director Kwan Park's Hy Dharma and S.O.S.,Thomas Robsham's critically-acclaimed Italian-Norwegian co-production which stars Jacqueline Lustig (My Mother's Smile) and GianMarco Tognazzi.