UK distributor ParasolPeccadillo has just picked up a string of new films scheduled for theatricalrelease within the next year.

New releases scheduled for2005/2006 include Ismael Ferrouki's Le Grand Voyage, Swedish box office hit The Ketchup Effect, Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau's Cocklesand Muscles and MonAnge starring Vanessa Paradis and Vincent Rottiers.

Parasol Peccadillo - known for buying and distributing films for the gay and lesbianmarket - says the acquisitions represent a move towards distributing awider range of arthouse films.

Christian Martin, one of thefounders of Parasol Peccadillo, says: 'People might see our new acquisition policy as signalling somekind of a departure from the gay niche we've catered for but given thequality of our new films, we simply see it as enhancing our range ofexceptional arthouse titles.'

Parasol Peccadillopreviously operated under two separate labels - Peccadillo Pictures andParasol Peccadillo Releasing (PPR).