London-based Renaissance Films has picked up two new films forCannes - international rights to IFC Productions' romantic comedy The Baxter and worldwide rights outside Spain,Portugal and Argentina to Tornasol Films and Greenpoint Films' Spanish-langugecomedy Only Human.

The Baxteris a romantic comedy starring and directed by comedian Michael Showalter andinspired by classic 50s comedies such as Billy Wilder's The Apartment.Showalter plays a repressive accountant, a quintessential "Baxter" - the guywho never gets the girl. Currently in post-production, the film co-starsElizabeth Banks as his fiance, Michelle Williams as the new girl in the officeand Justin Theroux as his fiance's lost love.

Produced by Galt Niederhoffer, Daniela Taplin and Celine Rattrayof Plum Pictures, The Baxter is currently in post-production and select footage will be shownat Cannes. The film was originally being pitched by Pandora at AFM but IFCsubsequently went with Renaissance. IFC's domestic distribution arm IFC Filmsis expected to handle domestic distribution.

Renaissance chief Angus Finney said the flm should be ready fordelivery early next year.

Meanwhile, Only Human (Seres Queridos) is a high energy Spanish comedy of errors written and directedby Teresa di Pelegri and Dominic Harari. It tells the story of a Spanish TVpresenter who brings home her Palestinian boyfriend to meet her dysfunctionalJewish family.

The film is produced by Gerardo Herrero and Mariela Besuievskywith Patrick Cassavetti and Adrian Sturges of the UK's Greenpoint Films; Paolo Branco and Pablo Bossi served as co-producers. It is the first lottery-backedSpanish-language feature film by the UK Film Council, which is how Finneybecame involved.

"It's a hilarious film with laugh-out loud moments throughout," Finneytold ScreenDaily. "We have very high hopes that buyers will really respond tothe film at Cannes."

Co-produced by Greenpoint and Spain's Tornasol Films with thesupport of ICAA and Ibermedia, Madragoa Producao de Filmes of Portugal andPatagonik Film Group of Argentina, the film stars Marian Aguilera, NormaAleandro, Maria Botto and Fernando Ramallo. Alta Films will release the picturein Spain in the summer, and Renaissance will screen the completed picture inCannes.

It's been astrong year so far for Renaissance with the sale of John Curran's We Don'tLive Here Anymore toWarner Independent Pictures at Sundance and the successful introduction tobuyers of Peter Cattaneo's latest Poppy And Dingan at AFM.