Murali K Thalluri, the director/producer of Australian teen drama 2:37, is re-establishing his company M2 Entertainment (M2E) as a production and financing outfit.

Thalluri, who set up M2E in 2006 with Nick Matthews to produce 2.37, is launching a new $9m production fund, through which he aims to finance or co-finance two feature films and two short films per year until 2014.

He is also due to start shooting his second feature, Jewel, an Indian set project about two boys forced to work in a slave labour camp, in February 2011.

Matthews will sit on M2E’s board of directors, alongside Nick Selth (who was part of the original 2:37 producing team), Ian Gibbins of ArclightFilms, producer Scott Mosier, sound mixers Leslie Shatz &Chris David, and Miramax and Weinstein Company veteran Michelle Krumm.

Thalluri said: “I know how hard it is to get a film up with the level of control that is sought after by film makers. It has taken me 4-5 years to get my second project up. Hopefully M2E will be a company that will give the power back to the film makers, and with the team of people we have assembled to be a part of this company coupled with our amazing partners, the possibilities of what we can do are endless.’

Krumm added: “Having worked under Harvey and Bob Weinstein for Miramax and then the Weinstein company for 12 years, the importance of supporting daring, innovative filmmaking has been ingrained in my DNA, we look forward to instilling this culture of innovative film making at M2E” added Michelle Krumm.”

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