The World Digest - December 17, 2004

Alquimia, Latido ink

MADRID — Spain's Alquimia production house said Thursday that it has signed a five-picture deal with international sales agent Latido to handle worldwide rights on its 2004 slate and part of its 2005 slate. Latido, also known as Latin Beat, will handle sales outside of co-producing territories on "Incautos," "Condon Express," "El Metodo Gronholm," "Vidas Pequenas" and "Tu Vida en '65." "It is important to have a single shop handle all of my movies so that I can focus on marketing and promoting them," Alquimia CEO Francisco Ramos said in an interview. "It's much better than finding a sales agent each time I finish a movie and closing a deal."



Disney bows India nets

NEW DELHI, India — Walt Disney Television International India is set to launch its service here today with two channels, the Disney Channel and Toon Disney, which will also feature locally produced programming. "We will invest in original productions that will be created and produced in India for our new channels and also showcase them globally in due course," said Rajat Jain, Walt Disney Television International India managing director. Disney is launching its India service with a multilingual feed, with both channels offered in Hindi and South Indian languages Tamil and Telegu in addition to an English feed.



VH1 India planned

NEW DELHI, India — Mumbai-based MTV Networks India and Indian cable distribution company Zee-Turner said in a joint statement that they are set to offer VH1 in India. VH1 will focus on international music and lifestyle content, which will differentiate the channel from other music outlets that are primarily driven by local content, the statement said.