Italian distribution and production outfit Lucky Red has picked up Good Machine International's Big Brother meats the thriller genre film, Series 7: The Contenders.

Written and directed by Daniel Minahan, Series 7 is about six people chosen in a lottery by a TV programme to kill each other for a cash prize. Good Machine has also sold the title to international distributors including the UK's FilmFour.

The acquisition forms part of a trio of pick ups at the renowned Italian indie, which has also taken local rights to Everybody Famous (Ledereen Beroemd) and Little Tom Thumb (Le Petit Poucet).

Directed by France's Olivier Dahan, Little Tom Thumb is a kids' title starring Catherine Deneuve, Romane Bohringer and Elodie Bouchez. Wild Bunch is handling sales.

France's Mercure Distribution is selling the Nordic title Everybody Famous, which is directed by Dominique Deruddere. The film stars Josse De Pauw, Werner De Smedt and Thekla Reuten.

On the production front, Lucky Red is preparing Amorosa Gilda, a $2m adaptation of Anna Asensa's autobiography about a physically handicapped girl growing up in Sicily. Spain's Wanda Films is co-producing.

Lucky Red is also producing $4.5m suspense drama Miguel Juan, to be directed by Italy's Giovanni Davide Maderna. Rome-based outfit Kubla Khan is co-producing.