Shooting has started on Helen Of Peckham, the feature debut of writer-director Emily Young, starring Peter Mullan and Ingeborga Dapkunaite.

Helen Of Peckham - a working title - tells the story of an aid worker in war-torn Eastern Europe who travels back to his family in London, unaware of a tragedy that has occurred. It shoots for four weeks on location in London, and for two weeks on location in Croatia.

The film is produced by Gayle Griffiths, associate produced by Chris Collins, executive produced by Cat Villiers and Chiara Menage and co-produced by Carole Scotta and Caroline Benjo of French outfit Haut Et Court. Other backers include Baker Street Media Finance, BBC Films and the Film Council's New Cinema Fund. Celluloid Dreams is handling international sales.

Also cast are David Warner, Gemma Jones, Millie Findlay and James Martin. Ingeborga Dapkunaite replaces actress Katrin Cartlidge, who died suddenly before the shoot.

The film marks the feature debut of Emily Young, who previously won the Cinefondation competition at the Cannes Film Festival 1999 with her short Second Hand.

Polish cinematographer Wojciech Szepel, who worked with Young on Second Hand, will shoot Helen Of Peckham. Production designer is Jane Morton, who worked on Lynne Ramsay's Ratcatcher and Morvern Callar.