Prague's Barrandov Studio has appointed top Los Angeles-based industry executive, William Stuart, to represent the studio in the US market. The announcement, which takes effect immediately, was made by Vaclav Marhoul, chief executive officer of AB Barrandov, the studio's holding company.

Stuart, through his company Aurora Productions, will act as Barrandov's liaison with the US film community both to attract productions to the studio as well as furthering the studio's desire to invest in co-productions that can take advantage of Barrandov's extensive facilities.

Stuart, who has served as vice president for Columbia Pictures International, supervising production and distribution throughout Europe and the Middle East, and held similar executive posts with MGM/UA and 20th Century Fox, will work closely with Anna Vasova, chief executive officer of Barrrandov Biografia, the studio's production arm, and Radomir Docekal, chief executive officer and general manager of the studio.

Stuart, whose most recent credit as executive producer was for Buena Vista's blockbuster, The Rock, with Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage, will continue to develop projects for the studios and independent market. Aurora is in pre-production on The New World, about the tragic life and triumphant works of Czech composer Anton Dvorak.

Budgeted at around US$11 million, The New World will be produced by Stuart and Eberhardt Junkersdorf and directed by Franc Roddam whose past credits include Quadrophenia and K2, as well as a number of very successful BBC TV series including Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

Recent US studio films to have taken advantage of Barrandov's production expertise include PolyGram's The Grimm Brothers' Snow White in the Black Forest, starring Sigourney Weaver; New Line Pictures' The Adventures of Pinocchio; and Paramount's Mission: Impossible.

Christopher Pickard

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