German actor Heino Ferch, who recently headlined SAT1's East-West drama The Tunnel, is to play one of the leads alongside Margaret Vilhjalmsdottir and Ugla Egilsdottir in Icelandic director Agust Gudmundsson's next project The Seagull's Laughter (Mavahlatur).

The film, which starts shooting in Iceland from February 26, is being executive produced by Raphael Socha of Berlin-based Hope & Glory Film, Kristin Atladottir of Isfilm, Andy Paterson of UK production outfit Archer Street and Tom Winther of Alien Productions in Copenhagen. Backers include Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the Icelandic Film Fund, the Nordic Film & TV Fund and the pan-European co-production fund Eurimages.

Iceland's unique landscape provides the backdrop for the thriller set in the 1950s and seen through the eyes of a 13 year-old girl.