South African production, financing and sales operation Distant Horizon is backing Cassandra At The Wedding, UK director Simon Shore's follow-up to his widely-acquired feature debut, Get Real.

The $8.9m comedy drama, which has already secured $1.6m in national lottery funding, is the story of a woman looking to scupper her identical twin's marriage. The UK's Mass Productions is producing, with casting to be announced. Pre-production is to start in mid-March for a summer shoot.

'There are a lot of serious and heavy films coming out of the UK at the moment, but this a much more of a broad comedy,' said Mass' Sam Taylor, who will produce.

Shore's Get Real, which won audience prizes at Edinburgh and Dinard, was picked up by Paramount Classics for the US and the UK, where it was released through United International Pictures. The film was also backed by Distant Horizon.