Vancouver: Lions Gate Entertainment’s recent us$33-million ($48 million) cash infusion from investors such as of SBS Broadcasting, Tele-Munchen and Paul Allen’s Vulcan Ventures has lit a fire under one the Vancouver company’s newest divisions.

l.a.-based distributor Lions Gate Television International, launched in August ’99, now has money to deficit finance commercially minded, reality-based programs, says the division’s vp of international sales, Jean Huang.

She estimates that through commissions and acquisitions, Lions Gate Television International might stimulate 75 new hours of reality programming this year – a target she admits is aggressive.

‘We now have the money to access [that level of production],’ says Huang. ‘We’re in a better position to act on it.’

As lgti was heading to natpe, it was finalizing a new relationship with New York-based Atlas Media, a leading producer of non-fiction programming. Atlas series include Extreme Cuisine (Food Network), History Lost and Found (History Channel) and Exotic Islands (Travel Network).

Few details of the arrangement were available at press time, but lgti was expected to take over Atlas’ international distribution and the two companies were planning to collaborate on the creation of a slate of original non-fiction projects to be marketed worldwide for primetime broadcast.

Lions Gate Entertainment also owns l.a.-based Termite Art Productions, which has tallied up broadcast ratings successes with titles such as Busted on the Job (Fox), Red Handed (upn) and When Good Times Go Bad (Fox).

Despite these close working relationships, however, lgti’s new non-fiction production kitty – which at press time had yet to be assigned a dollar value – is open to independent producers, especially Canadians who can help lgti access the production subsidies.

‘I would love to work with Canadian producers,’ says Huang, enthusing about the quality of Canadian documentary product and her perception of a growing interest for non-fiction programming here. ‘When we’ve talked to terrestrial broadcasters [in Canada] about fiction projects, they have mentioned that they want to do more non-fiction.’

Huang explains that the interest is stimulated by both the relative low cost of creating non-fiction programming and the entertainment value.

As for proposals, Huang stresses that producers need to pitch ‘documentaries with a strong commercial slant’ and programs that will carry to international markets.

While disaster and true-crime documentary proposals are welcome, she is especially interested in lighter fare. ‘I think the next trend in non-fiction documentaries is humor or anything that makes people laugh,’ says Huang. ‘I’d love to find another Candid Camera.’