eBay mogul Jeff Skoll'sParticipant Productions has munched up North American rights as well a healthymouthful of equity in Fast Food Nation, it was announced in Cannes yesterday by Participant ProductionsPresident Ricky Strauss. The deal was done with London-based Hanway Films.

Fast Food Nation is a Recorded Picture Company production. It isbeing produced by Jeremy Thomas and Malcolm McLaren. The director is RichardLinklater, who has co-scripted with Eric Schlosser, author of the best-sellingbook that inspired the movie. Skoll will executive produce. Shooting is due tobegin in the autumn.

Skoll and Strauss spoke inthe American Pavilion yesterday about Fast Food Nation and the evolution of Participant, which isexclusively involved in financing and producing films with social issues attheir core.