Vancouver-based Lions Gate Entertainment has negotiated a major output deal with Home Box Office and hired ex-Alliance cfo Roman Doroniuk as president and coo.

The hbo deal, negotiated by Lions Gate Films president Jeff Sackman, gives the u.s. movie cable network exclusive pay-tv rights to the Lions Gate Films slate for the next three years.

The agreement will commence with titles including Love and Death on Long Island, Mr. Jealousy and Buffalo ’66. Current and upcoming releases such as Affliction, Metroland and Rhombus Media’s The Red Violin are also included in the agreement.

The appointment of Doroniuk, who will be responsible for the overall management and integration of company operations, represents a bit of a coup for Frank Giustra and his upstart Lions Gate. Doroniuk’s finance and operational management skills are well respected within the industry and the executive is credited with being a major part of Alliance’s strong market performance.

Doroniuk is also appointed to Lions Gate’s board of directors.