Former GoodMachine production executive Sig Libowitz has joined Paramount Classics as vicepresident of acquisitions and co-productions, the specialty distributor'sco-presidents Ruth Vitale and David Dinerstein announced today (Dec 12). Underimmediate appointment, Libowitz will handle day-to-day responsibilities foracquisitions and co-productions and reports directly to Vitale and Dinerstein.

Libowitz workedfor five years at Good Machine in New York, where he served as productionexecutive on Todd Field's Oscar-nominated picture In the Bedroom. His other independent credits with theNew York-based production company include Lovely & Amazing, which yesterday was nominated for six2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards, The Ice Storm, The Myth of Fingerprints and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

From there herelocated to the West Coast, serving as vice-president of production atValhalla Motion Pictures, where he oversaw pre-production on Ang Lee's upcomingThe Hulk. Mostrecently he worked with Rebecca Yeldham at the Los Angeles-based division ofFilm Four, overseeing the company's domestic development projects, includingWalter Salles' Motorcycle Diaries.

'We are thrilled that we will have Sig's expertise tocontinue to build upon the success of Paramount Classics' acquisition andco-production efforts. His experience and unique development skills will be atremendous asset,' Vitale and Dinerstein said in a joint statement.

ParamountClassics releases this year have included the South Korean hit The Way Home, the German comedy Mostly Martha, and Paul Greengrass' BloodySunday, the dramatisedaccount of events in Northern Ireland that was blocked from Oscar contentionyesterday after it breached eligibility rules. Next year's releasesinclude the drama Till Human Voices Wake Us, starring Helena Bohman Carter and GuyPearce; Claude Lelouch's award-winning drama And Now Ladies & Gentlemen, starring Jeremy Irons; and Mike Hodges're-teaming effort with Clive Owen in the noir thriller I'll Sleep when I'm Dead.