Spanishproducer-distributor Avalon Pictures has launched a new DVD sell-through labelin Spain with entertainment megastore Fnac handling classic internationalauteur titles.

The label, Filmoteca Fnac, will handle an initial 20 to 25films per year from auteur directors like Fellini, Cassavetes, Jarmusch andKitano.

Titles will be released on anywhere from 1500-4000 copies.Avalon founder Stefan Schmitz says he is looking to pick up rights to multipletitles from directors with an eye to offering packages in the future.

The Fnac deal affords Avalon maximum control over thedistribution and pricing of films and gives the French chain exclusivity inSpain for an initial period. 'We felt there was a clear gap at the highend of this market in Spain,' Schmitz adds.

The first four titles - including Fassbinder's Querelle and The Merchant Of Four Seasons and Cassavetes' Opening Night and A Woman Under The Influence - were released to strong success in March.The next six titles will be released in May.