Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov is set to begin shooting hisnew film Mongol (The Early Years of Genghis Khan) this autumn. Thedirector of the Oscar nominated Prisoner Of The Caucuses is also actingas co-producer alongside Sergei Selyanov, head of the St Petersburg based STVFilm.

Bodrov has teamed up again with scriptwriter Arif Alyev whowon the European Film Academy prize for his script for The Prisoner Of TheCaucuses in 1996.

The story recounts the early life of Genghis Khan who was aslave before going on to conquer half the world including Russia in 1206. The film will be made in Russian, Mongolian,Kazakh, Tatar and Chinese languages.

The Euros 10m Mongol, with backing from the RussianMinistry of Culture, is one of the most expensive projects in the history ofRussian film production.

The film is an historical action epic with elaborate sets,realistic fight scenes and lavish period costumes. Production design is by Siberian-born artist and sculptor DashiNamdakov.

This is Bodrov's first film as a director since completing TheBear's Kiss, also coproduced by STV. The Bear's Kiss starred his sonSergei Bodrov Jr who was tragically killed in an avalanche in southern Russiashortly after completing the film and who often acted in his father's films.

The producers have already scouted suitable locations inKazakhstan and Mongolia where most of the action is set and are in talks withunnamed American, British and German co-producers about boarding theproduction. Moritz Bleibtreu of RunLola Run has been tipped for one of the leading roles although no officialannouncement of casting has been made yet.

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