As time keeps passing by, the Alamo Drafthouse and its distribution arm Drafthouse Films keep steadily expanding to become the next big deal in entertainment. Besides new locations opening up, the Drafthouse is putting more effort into extending its reach into producing and distributing its own line of eclectic, artful films.

Drafthouse Films has recentlyannounced a special distribution deal with Image Entertainment, Inc., a Los Angles-based licensee, producer and distributor of film and television throughout North America. The deal is expected to include distribution of content through home video, television, digital and video on demand.

This deal alone seems like quite the game-changer for the Drafthouse, but there were plenty of other announcements joining it. In order to further build its brand and increase acquisitions, Drafthouse Films also made public its hiring of James Emanuel Shapiro as its Chief Operating Officer. Shapiro had previously served as the Executive Director of Sales Planning and Acquisitions at Anchor Bay Entertainment, a top independent distributor of theatrical and home video content.

On top of all this news, Drafthouse Films also obtained exclusive North America rights to a duo of award-winning European films. Bullhead, directed by Michael Roskam and named Belgium’s official 2012 Academy Award candidate for Best Foreign Language Film, enjoyed success from critics and audiences at the Berlin Film Festival, Fantastic Fest and others. Mikkel Nørgaard’s raunchy comedy film Clown has been picking up a lot of buzz on the independent film circuit for its story of a debaucheries and broken taboos involving two friends in the Dutch countryside.

All of this news is just part of the growing effort by the Drafthouse to become a bigger player in independent and genre film distribution and production. Drafthouse films got its first big break by obtaining rights to the controversial terrorist comedy Four Loins when no other distributor in America wanted to touch it.

Drafthouse Films will get its first taste of producing with the horror anthology The ABCs of Death set to make its debut sometime in January 2012. Add that with the 2012 release of SXSW 2011 darling The FP, and fans of Austin’s favorite theater will have plenty to be excited about what is just beyond the horizon for this company that does things its own way.