Production is due to start on the first Italian-made 3D feature, it will begin principal photography getting underway in Canada later this month.

The $7.3m film, called Hidden, is an Italy-Canada co-production and will be in English. Andrea Marotti is producing for ReDark with Andre Rouleau for Montreal-based Caramel Films. Don Carmody (Chicago) is executive producing.

The horror/thriller is about an abandoned experimental medical centre that harbours a deadly secret. It only becomes known when a restoration project begins.

Canada is providing 80% of the financing and the film has the support of Telefilm Canada. The remaining  20% of funding will come from private equity sources in Italy.

The effects team for Hidden boasts John Sheele, who oversaw visual effects on Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center, among other Hollywood productions. Sheele is credited as 3D supervisor for the project. John Attard (An American Haunting) will supervise Vfx work.

Casting is set and made up of largely unknown talents; a directorial duo (Italian and Canadian) is to be announced imminently. A Canadian distribution deal and world sales are in advanced negotiations.