Leading Spanish actors Juan Diego, Paco Tous, Fernando Cayo and Mariano Venancio will head up the cast for the political thriller 23-F about a failed military coup in Spain.

Leading Spanish actors Juan Diego, Paco Tous, Fernando Cayo and Mariano Venancio will head up the cast for the political thriller 23-F about a failed military coup in Spain.

The $7m project is set to be produced by Spanish outfits La Zona and Arcadia Motion Pictures and will tell the story of Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero’s (Tous) incredible attempt at a coup in 1981 when he led 200 armed civil guards into the Congress Of Deputies of the Spanish parliament, with alleged backing from General Alfonso Armada (Diego). But the coup failed following a televised denouncement by the King of Spain (Cayo).

The film is based on ascript by Joaquin Andujar and will be directed by Chema De La Peña (Sud Express). Spanish broadcasters TVE and Canal + are also backers.

Shooting is due to take place this summer at the Ciudad De La Luz studios in Alicante, as well as in Madrid and potentially in the Spanish parliament building if the producers can gain approval.