Alta places bet on De la Iglesia's 'Luck'

MADRID -- Leading Spanish arthouse distributor Alta Films has taken theatrical and home entertainment rights to Alex de la Iglesia's satirical drama ''La chispa de la vida'' (As Luck Would Have it), toplining Salma Hayek. Hayek plays the loving wife of an out-of-work publicist -- limned by Spanish TV star Jose Mota -- whose luck seems to change when he impails his head on a nail in a Roman amphitheater, and sees the chance to monetize the accident. Pic is based on a screenplay by U.S. screenwriter and producer Randy Feldman (''Tango and Cash''), and is produced by Spanish shingle Trivision and NY-based Double Nickel. ''Luck'' was developed by former DC Comics prexy Jenette Kahn and ex-Motion Picture Corp.'s Adam Richman, exec producers on ''Gran Torino.'' They take exec producer credits on ''Luck'' alongside Spain's Andres Vicente Gomez. De la Iglesia's follow up to tragicomedy ''Last Circus,'' which took screenplay and directing awards at Venice last year, ''Luck'' bows Dec. 2 in Spanish theaters. With ''Luck,'' Alta continues its fruitful relationship with high-profile local or international helmers produced by Spanish companies. During the first half of the year, backed by standout performances of Woody Allen's ''Midnight in Paris'' (which grossed Euros5.7 million/$7.5 million) and Iciar Bollain's ''Even the Rain'' ($5.1 million), Alta became the third highest-grossing indie distributor at the Spanish box office. According to Spain's ICAA film institute, Alta cumed through June 30 a solid $18.22 million, only surpassed, among indies, by mainstream distribberies Aurum Producciones and DeAPlaneta. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com