Sidney Kimmel Entertainment,the prolific new LA-based production and financing outfit backed byphilanthropist and business titan Kimmel, has teamed up with VIP Medienfonds toproduce Copying Beethoven, to be directed by Agnieszka Holland and starEd Harris and Diane Kruger.

Myriad Pictures is handlingworldwide sales on the film in Berlin and deals have already been sealed inJapan to Tohokushinsha Film Co, Brazil to Videofilm Corporation, Portugal toLNK Home Entertainment, Greece to PCV, in eastern Europe to Paradise/MGN, toMyndform in Iceland and Singapore's Shaw Renters.

The film centres on the loveand obsession which Ludwig van Beethoven (Harris) developed for his assistant(Kruger) while he was working on his 9th symphony.

Written by Stephen J Riveleand Christopher Wilkinson, the film is scheduled to begin production in Londonand Budapest in April.

Kimmel and Michael Taylorare producing, with Marina Grasic, Andreas Schmid and Andreas Grosch serving asexecutive producers.

While he has always producedmovies such as 9 1/2 Weeks and The Emperor's Club, Kimmelrecently ramped up his production activities with titles already in post suchas Neverwas starring Aaron Eckhart, Ian McKellen and Jessica Lange; AlphaDog with Justin Timberlake, Sharon Stone and Bruce Willis; and Trust TheMan with Julianne Moore, David Duchovny and Billy Crudup.