Oscar nominated Dutchdirector Ben Sombogaart (Twin Sisters) has started shooting the Euros 12m Crusade In Jeans, which stars Emily Watson and Belgian actor JanDecleir.

An English language adaptationof the popular Dutch novel by Theo Beckman, Crusade in Jeans tells the story of a young boy, Dolf, who isaccidentally transported to the 13th century and is forced to join a crusade of8000 young children.

Dutch producer KasanderFilms is co-producing with Belgian outfit Marmont Film, UK arm KasanderProductions Limited, Germany's Intuit Pictures, Hungary's FocusFilm and Delux Productions from Luxemburg.

The film shoots in Germany,Luxemburg and Spain between June 18 and September 28 with a release scheduledfor December 2006. Celsius Entertainment is handling international sales.

British actor Joe Flynnstars as Dolf, his medieval girlfriend Jenne is portrayed by StephanieLeonidas. Michael Culkin stars as the evil Anselmus who leads the crusade.

The script is by Americanwriter William Haney and Belgians Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem and Chris Craps.The director of photography is Reinier van Brummelen, who recently shot PeterGreenaway's trilogy The Tulse Luper Suitcases.

The novel Crusade inJeans has been published in morethan twenty countries.