Israeli-bornactor Raz Degan (Alexander) is to head the cast of Ermanno Olmi's new drama, CentoChiodi(literally, One Hundred Nails) which has started shooting in Bologna.

The film tells the contemporary story ofa young Bologna university professor who becomes the subject of a toughinvestigation. He decides to leave everything and everyone behind and to moveout from the city to an old farmhouse on the banks of the Po river, where hesoon starts mingling with the locals.

TheEuros 4m picture is produced by Olmi's Milan-based company Cinema11undiciwith backing from Rai Cinema. The film is shooting in Bologna, near the Poriver and around the northern Italian town of Mantua.

Theveteran auteur's last film was the collective effort Tickets, which he co-directedwith Abbas Kiarostami and Ken Loach. Olmi's recent credits also include SingingBehind the Sails and The Profession of Arms.