E1 Entertainment to handle North American DVD for Here and Regent

The deal kicks off with Yojiro Takita’s Japanese drama and 2009 best foreign language Oscar winner Departures.

E1 will release an average of four titles each month including features as well as programming from Here! TV.

2010 releases include Xavier Dolan’s Cannes Fortnight winner and Canadian foreign language Oscar submission I Killed My Mother, Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptation of Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, Haim Tabakman’s Israeli drama Eyes Wide Open, and Asghar Farhadi’s Iranian Oscar submission About Elly.

“This new partnership reinforces our position as a rapidly-growing DVD distributor in North America and further supports E1’s growth strategy by completing our offering with Here Media’s theatrically released features and television programmes,” E1 Entertainment US president Michael Rosenberg said.

“E1’s innovative DVD distribution model has made them a global giant in the industry,” Here Films/Here Media’s executive vice-president of distribution and Mark Reinhart said. “We are excited to be partnering with them to bring our world cinema and gay and lesbian titles to discerning consumers worldwide.”