Michele Camarda's UK production outfit Kismet Film Company has struck a first-look deal with National Lottery studio franchise Pathe Pictures, Pathe announced on Wednesday.

The move comes hard on the heels of Kismet producing David Kane's highly-anticipated UK comedy Born Romantic. The deal replaces New York-born, London-based Camarda's recently-expired first-look pact with BBC Films, which bankrolled Born Romantic.

"We are delighted to be working with Michele, who is widely respected as being at the forefront of her generation of filmmakers, having both taste and commercial flair," said Pathe Pictures' managing director, Francois Ivernel. "We hope to enable Michele to fulfil her aspirations to produce films on a more ambitious scale."

Pathe has also recently established development relationships with production outfits including Damian Jones and Graham Broadbent's Dragon Pictures, which is working on A Romantic Comedy About Divorce. Written by Guy Andrews from an original screenplay by Jake Michie, the project is to be directed by Mark Mylod, whose credits include TV comedy series The Royle Family.

Pathe has also boarded The Mighty Walzer, based at East Is East producer Leslee Udwin's Assassin Films. The project is written by Peter Flannery, whose credits include TV drama Our Friends In The North, and based on an autobiographical novel by Howard Jacobson.

Kismet's credits include Nick Willing's Photographing Fairies and This Year's Love, written and directed by Kane. Camarda produced Wonderland, directed by Michael Winterbottom and co-produced with Revolution Films.