Nicole Kidman in Belgium as Grace Kelly

The Australian-American actress Nicole Kidman will be in Belgium for five weeks from November 19, shooting Grace of Monaco, a big-budget production retracing parts of the life of Grace Kelly. The all-European production, directed by Frenchman Olivier Dahan (La Môme), sees her star opposite Tim Roth, who plays Prince Rainier of Monaco. Filming in Belgium will take place in Brussels (where the Parliament will act as Rainier’s office), and in Ghent. The film is produced by Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, erstwhile partner of Luc Besson, who said that Belgium’s attractive Tax Shelter scheme had played an important part in the choice of location, but so had “the relaxed atmosphere and the delicious food”. More than 300 Belgian extras will feature in the film – mostly secretaries, waiters and sommeliers.