LONDON -- Civilian Content, parent of the Film Consortium, has become the 100% owner of sales outfit the Works by acquiring BBC Films' 25% stake.
The deal was agreed some months ago, but will be formally announced today along with Civilian's financial results for 2002.
Civilian is expected to report that it has crept into the black for the first time, after losing £5.2 million ($8.1 million) in 2001 and $2.98 million in 2000. This is the result of rigorous cost-cutting and restructuring by managing director Chris Auty and Works topper Aline Perry.
The Film Consortium is in the final year of its six-year U.K. lottery franchise, which gives it access to a pool of lottery coin to co-finance British movies. Pics in production include Stephen Fry's "Bright Young Things" and the 3-D Imax movie "Bugs," while the Works is handling sales on Michael Winterbottom's "Code 46."
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