TomTykwer's Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer has begun shooting at theBavaria Film studios near Munich.

The$60m co-production between Germany's Constantin Film Produktion, the privatemedia fund VIP Medienfonds 4b, France's Nouvelles Editions de Films and Spain'sCastelao Productions is being produced by Bernd Eichinger.

Theproject is backed by the German Federal Film Board (FFA), FilmFernsehFondsBayern, the Bavarian Bank Fund (BBF), Filmstiftung NRW and Eurimages.

Principalphotography will continue at the studios and at locations in and aroundBarcelona until mid-October.

Theadaptation by Andrew Birkin, Eichinger and Tykwer of Patrick Suskind'sinternational bestselling novel stars Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickmanand Rachel Hurd-Wood.

Accordingto Eichinger, it had been "a long journey" to acquire the rightsafter the novel's publication in 1986. "I wasn't the only one interested -l think just about every major director was interested in filming this book.

"Then,much later on, I learned from Patrick Suskind who is a good friend of mine thatthe rights would now be available," Eichinger recalled.

Itis Tykwer's first feature as director since Heaven, with Cate Blanchettand Giovanni Ribisi, which opened Dieter Kosslick's first Berlinale in 2002.

Speakingabout the choice of Tykwer as director for this project, Eichinger said: "Tomhas visionary powers and I am confident that he will make a popular films fromthis popular novel."
Constantin Film Verleih already has a German theatrical release date set forSeptember 14, 2006. Summit Entertainment is handling international sales.