UK and Irish independent distributor Delanic Films has acquired four new films for 2008 release: Peter Howitt's Dangerous Parking, Rodrigo Garcia's Passengers, Lasse Hallstrom's Hachiko: A Dog's Story; and Joshua Michael Stern's Swing Vote.

Dangerous Parking, sold by Velvet Octopus, is Howitt's adaptation of the eponymous novel about a self-destructive film-maker. Howitt also stars alongside Saffron Burrows and Alice Evans. Delanic plans a May release across the UK.

Swing Vote, starring Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper, is a comedy sold by Kathy Morgan Internatioanl. That film is still in post-production and a late summer 2008 release is planned.

Psychological thriller Passengers stars Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson and has been acquired from Mandate Pictures for an autumn release.

Finally, Hallstrom's Hachiko, sold by Inferno, stars Richard Gere and Joan Allen and started shooting January 21. Delanic will release the family film at the end of 2008.

Delanic is a growing UK distributor who kicked off with a May 2007 release of Lovewrecked starring Amanda Bynes. Delanic's Glyn Allanson, veteran of ad agencies including CDP, and Joe Simpson, who previously worked for MGM and Columbia TriStar, are attending the EFM here and have Freebird on release currently in the UK.

'We are delighted to announce these four titles,' Simpson said. 'Each film will receive significant and appropriately targeted marketing support as we aim to build a creative and commercial success story of each release. We look forward to further complementing our slate through the year with additional major releases of similar broad appeal.'

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