Joan Allen, Claire Danes,Kathy Bates, Brenda Blethyn and Maggie Smith will head the cast of JimmySmallhorne's second feature film Pushers Needed which is being financedby Movision, Invicta and The Irish Film Board. Arclight Films is handling saleshere.

The film, which is describedin the vein of The Full Monty and Calendar Girls, tells the storyof a group of harried, working-class housewives who win a trip to Lourdes andembark on an adventure that will change their lives - leaving their husbands tocare for their kids.

Allen is producing alongsideJulia Palau, Evan Todd, Matthew Payne, Alan Moloney, Michael Cowan and JasonPiette, with Peter James and James Simpson executive producing for Movision.

The film is structured as anIrish/UK co-production with shooting set to start in July with locations inDublin, Ireland and Lourdes, France.

Smallhorne's first picture 2x4was in competition at Sundance in 1998. ICM packaged Pushers Needed andICM International's Shaun Redick will represent the North American rights.Allen, Bates, Blethyn and Smith are represented by ICM and Danes is representedby UTA.