LONDON -- Dutch born Carice van Houten, star of Paul Verhoeven’s BAFTA and Golden Lion nominated Black Book is to star opposite Joe Fiennes in Boris Damast’s Vivaldi, it was announced today.

Vivaldi, to be directed by Boris Damast and co-written with Jeffrey Freedman will star, alongside van Houten, Joseph Fiennes (Goodbye Bafana, The Merchant of Venice) as the legendary composer, Jaqueline Bisset (Tony Scott’s Domino) as the Countess who becomes Vivaldi’s most powerful ally, Malcolm McDowell (Hidalgo, Gangster No.1) and Elle Fanning as the mute Christina, whose voice Vivaldi helps to recover.

Two times Oscar® and four time BAFTA nominee Tony Pierce-Roberts (Howard’s End, Remains of the Day) will take the Director of Photography reins.

International producer and financier Future Films is backing Hand Picked Films and Mechaniks’ Vivaldi, to shoot later this year as Celsius Entertainment board the project as sales agent.  Hand Picked Films’ Michel Shane and Anthony Romano (I, Robot, Catch Me If You Can) will produce alongside Mechaniks’ Andrea Kikot and Damast. Future Films’ Stephen Margolis will executive produce with Ampersand’s Marti Blumenthal, Carlos Melcer and James Ordonez of Tayrona Entertainment.

Future Films currently has a number of projects in development/pre-production including Last Battle Dreamer, directed by Menno Meyjes, whose Manolete starring Adrian Brody and Penelope Cruz was also backed by Future.  Future is also producing Angel’s Choice by Tortilla Soup director Maria Ripoll, Bille August’s Burden of Desire, Michael Caine and Demi Moore starrer Flawless and Simon Fellows’ Malice in Sunderland with Mischa Barton attached to star.