French distributors BAC Films will release titles on HD VMD following a deal with the red-laser HD format developer New Medim Enterprises. Films to be released include Pulp Fiction, Le Caiman, Planete Blanche, Malena, Sailor and Lula.

Through electronics distributor, MCA Technology, a special edition bundle box will be available as part of the HD VMD launch which includes: a HD VMD multilayer player and 5 HD VMD films including a catalogue of more available titles for a recommended retail price of €299.

Established 20 years ago and with a library of 400 films distributed to movie theatres, BAC Films has become a major player in the French cinema industry specializing in four main distribution areas – theatrical, home video, television and international sales.

BAC Films titles previously nominated at the Cannes Film Festival include Le Pianist by Roman Polanski, La Chambre du Fils by Nanni Morretti, Barton Fink by the Cohen Brothers, Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino and Sailor et Lula by David Lynch.

Olivier Philippon of BAC Films comments, "BAC Films is very happy to partner with NME on the next-generation High Definition optical format for two main reasons. Firstly, it has an advantage over the other two competing formats with established and proven technology that is backward compatible with current DVD and more importantly a less costly application than other formats. Finally the end consumer will have access to BAC Films in high definition at affordable prices."

NME says it has forged a number of business relationships during the last Cannes Film Festival, "with more partnership agreements to be announced in the near future with French, European as well as International film distributors. Furthermore, NME is pursuing relationships with French optical disc replicators."

Story filed 25.06.07