Los Angeles-basedproduction outfit Visionbox Pictures has teamed up with fledgling USdistributor Small Planet Pictures on the theatrical release of itsaward-winning drama Charlotte Sometimes, with a roll-out scheduled for May in Los Angeles, SanFrancisco, Chicago and Hawaii.

The film, written and directed by Eric Byler (Kenji'sFaith), centres on a love triangle betweena reclusive car mechanic, his room-mate and a beguiling stranger.

CharlotteSometimes has wonseveral awards, including best picture at the San Diego Asian Film Festival,and was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards this year - the bestpicture under $500,000/John Cassavetes Award and the best supporting femaleaward for Jacqueline Kim (Brokedown Palace and Volcano).

In a statement,Visionbox chief executive officer John Manulis said: 'Taking the leapinto theatrical distribution is certainly challenging these days, butwe've got a lot of experience in this area and, as a company that'scommitted to producing and supporting visionary independent work, we felt itwas important to give this wonderful, much-lauded film the opportunity to havea broad theatrical life.'

Small Planetpresident Mike Broder added: 'There's a devoted and under-servedAsian-American audience out there, which, along with the traditionalindependent-spirited filmgoers, is hungry for distinctive, sexy, criticallylauded material like Charlotte Sometimes. And we're going to do our best to get them thegoods.'

VisionboxPictures' other recent productions include Maria Ripoll's TortillaSoup; HarryShearer's Teddy Bears' Picnic, starring Michael McKean and Fred Willard; and DaniMinnick's multi-festival winner Falling Like This.

CharlotteSometimes will be thethird film to be released theatrically by Small Planet Pictures since itsinception in 2002. The company launched with Hilary Birmingham's criticalfavourite Tully andfollowed with Helen Lesnick's A Family Affair. Small Planet has four additionalreleases planned for 2003.