Germany's Shotgun Pictures will co-produce producer-directorFlorence Jaugey's feature debut La Yuma whichwill be the first feature film to be produced in Nicaragua for 16 years. French-born Jaugey, who took upresidence in Nicaragua set up her production company Camila Filmswith Nicaraguan filmmaker Frank Pineda in 1990.

Budgeted at Euros 350,000and scheduled to start shooting at the beginning of 2007, La Yuma centreson a strong-willed, rebellious girl from the poor neighbourhoods of Managua, who dreams of being a boxer, and her love for a journalism student from the other side of thecity as they both try to find their way in the world.

Jaugey first made contact with Shotgun Pictures at this year's Berlinale whenLa Yuma was presented at the Talent Project Market in the BerlinaleCo-Production Market."

Immediately, Thomas (Haeberle) and Peter (Rommel) of Shotgun lovedthe project, and Thomas came over to Mannheim this week for two hoursto finalise the agreement," said Jaugey who has already receivedscript development support from the Hubert Bals Fund and developmentbacking from the Cinergia development fund for Central America andCuba.

With Shotgun now on board, Jaugey also plans to make anapplication for support from the Berlinale's World Cinema Fund.

"Our cinema was born of a guerrilla movement, developed in times ofwar and revolution, and, economically speaking, has always been inwant," Jaugey explained. "La Yuma follows this tradition; it is a movie filmed in asituation of urgency and risk. We will stress the acting, bearing inmind that most of the cast will be non-professional actors. There willbe room for improvisation and the crew will need to be light and versatile."