Hamburg-based production outfit Arranque Film has concluded a first-look deal with KinoFilm Muenchen, a subsidiary of German production and distribution group Helkon Media.

Arranque Film was founded by German actor Kai Wiesinger, his sister Kati Wiesinger and wife Chantal de Freitas in 1999 to develop projects for cinema and TV. This deal marks the continuation of a long-standing working relationship between Wiesinger and Helkon's Werner Koenig - Wiesinger had played the leads in two of Helkon's features, 14 Days To Life (14 Tage Lebenlaenglich) and After The Truth.

"Through this co-operation the economic basis is provided in the long term for us to develop our projects with the necessary care and to place them successfully in the market," Kai Wiesinger said.

Arranque currently has eight projects at various stages of development and has already sold the project Four Mermaids (Vier Meerjungfrauen) to Cologne-based Network Movie to be made as a co-production with public broadcaster ZDF.