Crusade in EU Coproduction

After Kingdom of Heaven by Ridley Scott, a new crusader epic is in the making.

The large-scale production by a Dutch director started its 50-day shooting on June 18. The English-speaking Crusade in Jeans is produced by Kasander Film, which was behind Greenaway’s movies. The EUR 10.5 million project is a joint effort by Dutch,  German, Belgian, British, Luxemburg-based and Hungarian partners.

The film will be the adaptation of Dutch Thea Beckman’s novel Kruistocht in spijkerbroek Director Ben Sombogaart’s previous movie, Twins was nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign picture category in 2003.

Crusade in Jeans tells the story of a 15-year-old boy, who is magically transported from the present to the age of the crusades and becomes a member of the crusader army of children in his 21st century outfit – jeans.

Next to the two child actors Emily Watson, Michael Culkin, Benno Fürmann, Udo Kier and Herbert Knaup play the key adult roles. The film will be shot in Germany, Luxemburg and Croatia, the cinematographer is Reinier van Brummelen of Greenaway’s 8 and 1/2 Women and Tulse Luper-trilogy.

The coproducer of the film Sándor Sőth, who lives in Berlin and who has already worked with Kasander on The Tulse Luper Suitcases. The film is scheduled for release in the winter.

Thea Beckman’s 1973 novel, Crusade in Jeans was published in Hungarian by Móra Ferenc Publishing in 1986, translated by Katalin Damokos. The film’s Hungarian coproducer is Áron Sipos (Focus Film).