Cinema Libre Studio has acquired all US rights to eight films from French auteur Jean-Jacques Beineix.

The deal includes the director's cut of Betty Blue, comedy Mortal Transfer, dramas IP5: The Island Of Pachyderms, Roselyne And The Lions, The Moon In The Gutter and The Dog Of Mr Michel.

Cinema Libre also picked up the documentaries andLocked-In Syndrome Otaku.

Beineix started his career in France as an assistant director before earning a Cesar nomination in 1977 for this first short Le Chien De Monsieur Michel.

His graduated to features with Diva in 1981 and earned international acclaim five years later with Betty Blue, which earned nine Cesar nominations and Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for foreign films.

Locked-In Syndrome about the paralysed French fashion editor Jean-Dominique Bauby is believed to have inspired Julian Schnabel's The Diving Bell And The Butterfly.

Beineix continues to produce and direct through his Paris-based company Cargo Films.

'The American audience, by giving a cult status to my movies Diva and Betty Blue was essential in the launching of my career,' Beineix said. 'It is therefore extremely gratifying for me that all my movies will be re-released in the US by Cinema Libre, that also plans to release those titles that are still unknown there.'