Anthony/Lopez film scores big at Toronto Festival

Birthday boy Marc Anthony and his wife Jennifer Lopez are celebrating after their Hectare Lavoe biopic became the subject of the biggest deal at this year's Toronto Film Festival in Canada late on Friday.

Anthony, who turned 38 on Saturday, plays the late salsa superstar in the acclaimed new movie El Cantante, which premiered in Toronto last week.

Lopez plays Lavoe's wife Puchi in the film, which was bought for almost $5m (€3.94m) by executives at Picturehouse, who now plan to release the film in July 2007.

Picturehouse spokesman Bob Berney says: "The Latino community is really an under served market, but because of the music and the cast, we really think it can cross over."