Spanish screenwriter David Planell, a nominee at last week's Goya Awards for Siete Mesas De Billar Frances, will start shooting his first feature as director, La Verguenza, from next week in Madrid.

Spain's Avalon Productions is producing the drama. The cast features Alberto San Juan, fresh off the back of his best actor Goyas win for Bajo Las Estrellas, and Natalia Mateo (Siete Mesas) as a couple who struggle to look after an adopted child. Other leading cast members include Marta Aledo (Las 13 Rosas), and Esther Ortega (Dark Blue Almost Black). The film also received backing from the ICAA (Institute of Cinematography and Audio Visual Arts) and broadcaster TVE.

Planell is building a reputation as one of the strong new talent emerging in Spain at the moment, alongside the likes of Juan Antonia Bayona (The Orphanage) and Tom Fernandez (La Torre De Suso). He has already worked as a writer with Gracia Querejeta on Siete Mesas (for which he won best screenplay at last year's San Sebastian film festival) and Hector (2004), and award winning documentary film maker Javier Corcuera on La Guerrilla De La Memoria (2002).

'We believe the story for La Verguenza [written by Planell] could be applied to a family in any country and therefore are confident that the film can achieve international appeal,' Enrique Costa of Avalon Productions told ScreenDaily.com.

Filming will take place over four weeks in and around the city.