Filmfour Books A Miramax Trio

FilmFour has acquired U.K. distribution rights to three more high-profile Miramax films, continuing a drive to bolster its film slate with key U.S. indie titles.

FilmFour will handle the U.K. release of director James Gray's "The Yards," starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron and James Caan; teen comedy "Down to You," starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Selma Blair and Julia Stiles; and Michael Almereyda's contemporary take on William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," which stars Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Sam Shepard and Bill Murray.

The deal marks the second time Miramax has sold a substantial number of key titles to a U.K. distributor outside its ongoing relationship with Buena Vista International, which in the past has handled U.K. distribution on the majority of Miramax films.

FilmFour and Miramax struck a five-picture distribution deal in April to handle U.K. distribution on Kevin Smith's "Dogma," "She's All That," Jane Campion's "Holy Smoke!," Chris Eyre's "Smoke Signals" and Brad Anderson's "Next Stop, Wonderland" (HR 4/5).

"We have had great success with 'She's All That,' and great support from Miramax," said Peter Buckingham, director of distribution at FilmFour. "These [new] films fit exactly with our determination to provide the core young cinema-going audience in the United Kingdom with quality commercial films."

Rick Sands, chairman of worldwide distribution for Miramax Films, said that the continuing strategy of doing business with top distributors in each territory allowed for the swift completion of the new deal, as did "the specific performance of FilmFour with respect to the successful distribution of 'She's All That.'

"We look forward to working with FilmFour in maximizing each of these titles, as well as continuing our ongoing relationship," Sands said.