Spanish audiovisual group Sogecable has flexed its acquisition muscle by signing a 16-picture agreement with DreamWorks SKG giving it pay-per-view (PPV) rights for its digital satellite platform Canal Satelite Digital (CSD).

Among the titles included in the deal are multiple Academy Award nominee American Beauty, The Prince Of Egypt, The Haunting and Antz.

DreamWorks already has an exclusive 40-picture agreement with Sogecable's pay-TV outfit Canal Plus. That deal, inked in 1997, includes all of the above titles.

Sogecable also signed accords with Barcelona-based distributor Manga Films on its release slate for 2000, and arthouse distributor Vertigo on a handful of titles. Manga's 2000 releases include titles such as The Whole Nine Yards, Beautiful Joe, 13 Days and Dr. T And The Women. Those films will be shown on CSD cinema channel Taquilla as well as on Canal Plus.

Vertigo boasts rights to The Straight Story, Ghost Dog, Ca Commence Aujourd'hui, The Weight Of Water and Cecil B. Demented. The Vertigo deal gives Sogecable exclusive PPV and pay-TV rights.

In January, Sogecable upped the capital for its sales and acquisitions arm Sogepaq by $9.5m. Sogepaq and Canal Plus Image jointly acquired DreamWorks' Chicken Run last year.