"Japanese production house AMG has boarded Joao Jardim's upcoming docu, "Guardians of the Samba" as a co-production partner. Shooting in August and September, the feature-length documentary profiles revered samba masters who maintain the genre's musical heritage, such as singer Walter Alfaiate, Dona Ivone Lara, Brazil's first femme samba composer, and singer-composer Nelson Sargent. It climaxes in a live performance, and also describes their relationships with samba schools..." (full details)

"Picturehouse and New Line International have acquired worldwide rights to the suspense, horror film "Amusement". The project tells of three seemingly different women's fears..." (full details)

"Alpine Pictures is launching its domestic theatrical distribution arm in the fall with Box Office Prods.' "Love Is the Drug," written by Wesley Strick, directed by Elliott Lester and starring Daryl Hannah. After "Drug," Alpine will release "Spit," a feature-length, spoken-word docu directed by Rotimi Rainwater that explores slam poetry. It also has acquired worldwide rights for "The Trap," an action-thriller about hikers who stumble on a dead body and a bag full of cash..." (full details)

"IFC Entertainment has picked up all North American rights to "Destricted", the sexually explicit compilation of erotic short films. The full-length feature comes from a who's who of seven provocative indie filmmakers, from Gaspar Noe ("Irreversible") to Matthew Barney (the "Cremaster" series) and Larry Clark ("Kids"). IFC will distribute "Destricted" this fall with a simultaneous limited release in late-night theatrical settings and as a video-on-demand offering to cable subscribers..." (full details)

"Sony Pictures Classics has struck a deal for North American rights to "Persepolis," an in-production animated feature based on Iranian author Marjane Satrapi's autobiolgraphical graphic novels. "Persepolis" is the coming-of-age story of a precocious Iranian 9-year-old girl during the Islamic Revolution. Chiara Mastroianni voices the main character in the French version of the pic. Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux and Simon Abkarian are also adding voice talent. An English version of the pic will also be recorded..." (full details)