Andrew Stevensand Donald Kushner have joined forces to launch the production and distributioncompany Focal Point Releasing and have lined up a debut slate for Cannes.

The partnershave wasted little time in getting the operation off the ground, naming BarbaraMudge head of their international sales division, effective immediately.

Titles inpre-production include Gray, a modern retelling of Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of DorianGray, Anya Camilleri'ssupernatural thriller Incubus starring Tara Reid, and the action thriller Backtrack, with casting news on that project setto follow before Cannes.

Focal Point isin final edit on Untitled Bernard Rose Film, a horror project starring JeroenKrabbe, and will be offering limited territories on Kristoffer Tabori'sthriller Pursued,which is in pre-production with Christian Slater and Michael Clarke Duncan tostar, as well as Duncan Roy's thriller Method starring Elizabeth Hurley, and SimonFellows' horror picture Blessed starring Heather Graham.

Stevens is theformer president and chief operating officer of Franchise Pictures whoseproducing and executive producing credits include Heist and The Whole Nine Yards.

Kushner, former co-chairmanof Kushner-Locke Company, produced Monster, among many others.