E1 Entertainment is expanding its first-look deal with Montreal production and distribution executive Christian Larouche through the launch of a new subsidiary, Les Films Christal.

The new outfit - unrelated to Larouche’s Christal Films Distribution, which declared bankruptcy last year - will acquire and distribute films internationally for distribution primarily in Quebec.

Larouche will be co-president alongside E1 Entertainment president David Reckziegel. Sébastien Létourneau will act as director of distribution. The company will use the infrastructure of E1’s Seville Pictures in Quebec and E1 Entertainment across Canada. Where Les Films Christal acquires local titles for worldwide exploitation, E1 International will handle sales.

In a statement, Larouche said he was thrilled to be joining the E1 team. He thanked E1 president of filmed entertainment Patrice Théroux and Reckziegel for allowing him to continue his 30-year passion for film distribution.

Reckziegel said the new distribution arm would help E1 Entertainment’s positioning in the Quebecois industry, pointing to Larouche’s reputation in the province. “Our association will also allow us to retain our existing access to world rights to the films that Christian produces. For his part, he will now have the opportunity to acquire Canadian rights to certain international films, helping supply content to our Canadian distribution business.”

The first film to be released under the Les Films Christal banner will be Frédérik D’Amour’s À Vos Marques… Party 2, which Larouche’s Christal Films Productions co-produced.

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