Focus Features has signed atwo-year term deal with Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna and producer Pablo Cruz'fledging Mexico City-based Canana Films.
The agreement, which includes an option for a third year, grants Focusworldwide rights to Canana's upcoming slate of mid-budget Spanish-languagefilms shot in Mexico and higher-budget English-language titles.
Focus chiefs David Linde andJames Schamus and their team of executives will surely relish the chance to tapinto a rich vein of Mexican talent through their extended relationship with Bernal and Luna.
Bernal starred in Walter Salles' 2005 Oscar winning The Motorcycle Diaries, which Focus releaed in North America, as well as Pedro Almodovar's 2004 title Bad Education, on which Focus handled international sales.
Furthermore Focus' previous incarnation Good Machine International handledsales on Alfonso Cuaron's 2001 hit Mexican road movie Y Tu Mama Tambien, which starred Bernal and Luna.
"Our partnership with Canana promises to be a fruitful one, as Gael, Diego, andPablo identify promising and fresh talent," Focus president of production JohnLyons said.
"There are so many filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors in Mexico - bothup-and-coming and established - that they can bring to our attention."
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