Finland's MRP Matila RöhrProductions has joined Russia's PK Slovo production outfit to back FyodorBondarchuk's $3.3m The Ninth Legion, which shoots in Tadzikistan,Ukraina and Moscow from June to September.

Fyodor Bondarchuk, who isthe son of the legendary director Sergei Bondarchuk (War And Peace),previously acted and co-produced Moving (2003) among other films, buthas also worked as a director in TV and commercials.

The Ninth Legion is written by Yuriy Korotkov and is described as a Platoon-likefilm set in the final days of the war in Afghanistan between 1988 and 1989. Itfollows a group of very different young men from bootcamp to Afghanistan inwhat turns out to be the last days of the Soviet Union.

MRP has vast experience withwar movies including their own Ambush and the Estonian-Finnish NamesIn Marble, and will be using the same stunt crew and handle digital effectsand postproduction at Digital Film Finland.

Ilkka Matila, SergeyMelkumov and Yelena Yatsura produce The Ninth Legion and Maksim Osadchiyacts as cinematographer.