Spanish broadcaster Telecinco has sealed a 10-picture pact with US independent producer Joseph Singer, marking its first foray into all-rights acquisitions. Nicolas Cage-starrer One To One will be the first title to emerge from the deal.

The pact mirrors a similar move by Telecinco rival Antena 3 which picked up all rights to Argentinean children's film Manuelita earlier this year (Screendaily, March 29).

Telecinco has also unveiled a hefty slate of co-productions in accordance with a year-old law requiring all Spanish TV networks to invest 5% of gross annual earnings in Spanish and other European films.

The company's burgeoning slate includes four co-productions with producer Cesar Benitez of the Boca Boca and Beso Beso production houses. The first of these, Salma Hayek-starrer La Gran Vida, recently wrapped in Madrid. Next up are: Eva Lesmes' El Palo, starring Carmen Maura and Adriana Ozores; Luis Marias' directorial debut, X; and Medianoche, currently being written by Oscar Plasencia, Raquel Aparicio and Raul Brambilla.

Telecinco is also co-producing Origen's Gitano, currently in production and starring Laetitia Casta and Joaquin Cortes; Euroficcion's planned English-language debut Heartbeats; Sogetel's Noche De Reyes and Leila, both in pre-production; and comedy Vivancos III with Rodar y Rodar and Globomedia.

The broadcaster also has a handful of new fiction series in development with local production houses El Terrat, Diagonal, Boca Boca, Cartel and Globomedia, as well as four internationally co-produced mini-series in various stages of production.

Owned by Italy's Mediaset, Germany's Kirch and Spain's Grupo Correo and Grupo Planeta, Telecinco posted a euros110.5m profit in the 1999 financial year, double the previous year's figures