Press Release, 2001-03-06

Gemini Film joins with Commerzbank to form

IWP International West Pictures. 2001 slate planned with $ 40 million budget.

(Cologne/Germany) Gemini Film, part of the Cologne-Gemini Group, Germany, has joined up with CommerzLeasing und Immobilien AG, a 100% daughter of major German bank Commerzbank, to found film financing and production entity International West Pictures (IWP) as a joint venture.

For its first year of activity, IWP has a budget of 45 million Euros which will be invested in English-language, feature productions with an international market appeal. It is anticipated that some 50% of principle photography and post-production will take place in Germany.

IWP’s current slate for 2001 includes the following:

In co-operation with Brad Krevoy / MCPA, Los Angeles:

· ‘Joe and Max’, the story of the rivalry and friendship between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, the two greatest boxers of their time, who met twice in the ring, 1936 and 1938, under the shadow of political manipulation and the approaching war against Nazi Germany. Shooting is scheduled to begin in Berlin in May under the direction of Steve James (‘Hoop Dreams’) starring German star Til Schweiger as Max Schmeling.

· Cruisin’, a wild comedy about two red-blooded Florida bucks on the hunt for women who find themselves booked on a gay cruise in the Caribbean. A worthy successor to Krevoy’s ‘Dumb and Dumber’, ‘Cruisin’ will shoot on location in Mexico and in studio in Germany, directed by Mort Nathan, starring Cuba Gooding jr.

Gemini Film:

Headed by Gerhard Schmidt, Klaus Rettig and Sabine Müller, and with a solid and wide base of activities in TV production, Cologne-based Gemini has been consistently producing feature films for the world market in the last few years. Gemini’s most recent productions include ‘Investigating Sex’ with Nick Nolte, Neve Campbell, and Julie Delpy, ‘Amerikana’ a US-Dogma film from director James Merendino and ‘Dina’, starring Gerard Depardieu, Marie Bonnevie (‘13th Warrior’, ‘Jerusalem’) and Christopher Ecclestone (‘Gone in 60 Seconds’, ‘Elizabeth’), which will begin shooting on location in Norway in March 2001 under director Ole Bornedal (‘Nightwatch’). Gerhard Schmidt: “For the last few years we have created a strategy of producing commercially successful features for the world market. IWP now puts this strategy on a much stronger financial footing, and enables us to dynamically expand our production and co-production activities. We are glad to have found an astute and reliable partner in the Commerzbank, and are pleased to be able to bring our many years of practical experience and international contacts to the joint venture.”