Karl Urban, who played Eomer in The Lord Of TheRings and Matt Damon's nemesis in TheBourne Supremacy, takes one of the lead roles in director Robert Sarkies' untitled feature now in production.

Tim White, who is producing alongside Steven O'Meagher, told ScreenDaily.comthey experienced some of the wildest weather he had ever encountered last week,the first week of principal photography. Filming is taking place in Otago, at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand.

The Condor Films picture is Sarkies'second outing after Scarfies,which swept away many of the New Zealandfilm awards back in the year 2000 including best film, script and director. Sarkies wrote the script to this new film with GraemeTetley.

Urban, whose most recent roles have been in Doom and Pathfinder, plays a police officer in the drama that sees thepeaceful innocence of a tiny seaside village shattered by one man in 1990. Hisco-star is Matt Sunderland.

Dendy films has snapped up all local and Australian rights and,as is the case with most Kiwi films, NZ Film will handle international sales.The US $2.7m (NZ$4.2m)budget has come from the NewZealand Film Commission, New Zealand On Air and TV3 and its parent company CanWest.