TheWeinstein Company (TWC) has picked up North American, Australian and NewZealand rights to Richard Shepard's Spring Break In Bosnia, the director's second film after The Matador.

Productionon the comic thriller is set to begin this summer in Europe. The film is backedby Intermedia and QED International, and QED will handle worldwide sales atCannes.

MarkJohnson and Scott Kroopf are producing the story, based on Scott Anderson'sarticle 'What I Did On My Summer Vacation' that appeared in Esquire in 2000.

Thestory centres on three journalists looking to make their names in the hunt fora Bosnian war criminal who land in trouble when they are mistaken for a CIA hitsquad.

"Weare very excited to be back in business with Richard Shepard and to be workingwith him on this project," TWC co-president of production Michael Colesaid.

"Heis a tremendously talented director who has written a great script, with threefantastic roles for actors."

"WhenIntermedia acquired the article six years ago we knew it was vital to assemblethe right elements in bringing this story to life," Intermedia chairmanand chief executive officer Martin Schuermann said.

"Weare thrilled to not only have an incredibly talented filmmaker at the helm, butalso the partnership of The Weinstein Company and QED, who share our passionand vision for the project."

TWCexecutive vice president of acquisitions Michelle Krumm and vice president ofproduction Kelly Carmichael brought the project to the company.

BillBlock and QED chief operating officer Paul Hanson negotiated the deal withSchuermann on behalf of Intermedia.