A new New York-based production outfit - Winter Films - was launched at Sundance last week backed by a recently completed $25m equity investment. Formerly known as Ikahn Productions, the company is headed by Michael Kahn with a management team including British production veteran Steve Hodges and Erick Feitshans, who has held senior business affairs positions at Morgan Creek and Cinergi.

Winter is looking to produce three to four theatrical films per year and is currently talking to both US distributors about a domestic distribution agreement and lenders for a credit line to complete the company's financing.

Winter has just finished principal photography on its first feature Ropewalk written and directed by first timer Matt Brown. An ensemble romantic comedy set in Nantucket, it stars Fred Ward, Lesley Ann Warren, John Shea, Max Perlich, Lena Headey and Peter Facinelli.

In development is Person to be directed by Michael Haussman (Rhinoceros Hunting In Budapest). The film is scheduled to be shot in Europe and Morocco later this year.

Kahn, a leading producer of music videos, started Ikahn to produce feature films in 1998 in partnership with Hodges. Winter also recently recruited former October Films development executive Sherrie Whittaker as director of development.