Paul Verhoevenhas taken on a new directing job in the Netherlands. Joining forces with the Dutch production company NLFilm & TV, Verhoeven will adapt the awarded Dutchnovel Kneeling on a flowerbed of violets (Knielenop een bed violen) forthe big screen.

The project reunites Verhoeven and long-term collaborating writer Gerard Soeteman, who worked on Turkish Delightand Soldier of Orange. The $12.9m (Euros 10m) Dutch-language project isscheduled to shoot next year.

Dutch production company NLFilm will start looking for international co-producers and pre-sales deals assoon as possible.

Kneeling on a flowerbedof violets tells the story of thegradual, but inevitable, fall of a gentle father who has a religious vision. Heescapes into extreme Calvinism to the dismay of his family.

The novel by Dutch authorJan Siebelink is one of the most successful Dutchbooks in years. Since the book was launched in 2005, more than 330,000 copieshave been sold. Translation rights have already been sold to Germany.

Verhoeven is currently in post-production on his long awaitedwar thriller Black Book, which is set to open this autumn. It will behis first feature since 2000's sci-fi project Hollow Man.