Man ToMan, WildBunch's period piece starring Joseph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas,has patched together its financing after tax fund First Choice fell thoughfollowing the government's Feb 10 clamp down.

The UK-Frenchco-production is plugging the hole left in the budget - about a third ofits total - with a standard sale and leaseback deal under the UK'sSection 48, plus gap financing through a bank.

The hold-upto repairing the damage done by Feb 10 was down to the time it took to secureprovisional approval from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)that the film would qualify as British. In a bid to cut down on minority UKco-productions, the government has been scrutinising applications such as ManTo Man and MyriadPictures' The River King, which it turned down this month.

"Ittook a bit longer than usual," said Man To Man co-producer Steve Clark-Hall."The DCMS has certainly toughened up its stance, although we were alwaysconfident."

DirectorRegis Wargnier ploughed on without the full budget after the Feb 10 clamp downhit the production on the eve of its start date. The story of anthropologistshunting pygmies for study in Europe has completed the South African leg of itsshoot and moves to Scotland for six weeks this week after one week in Cornwall.

"Ithas been a learning curve this one" said Clark Hall. "I am justdelighted now that we can concentrate on making a good film rather than how itis funded."