Bernd Eichinger's Constantin Film is expanding into production of international TV event programming with a $20m two-part adaptation of Marion Zimmer Bradley's international sword and sorcery bestseller The Mists Of Avalon.

The two-parter is to begin shooting in the Czech Republic, Scotland and Hungary from next month under the direction of Uli Edel, who previously directed Christiane F and Last Exit To Brooklyn for Eichinger. The project will be made as an international co-production with US producer David Wolper, Warner Bros and US broadcaster TNT.

This latest development represents a new stage in Constantin's desire to position itself as a key player in the TV production market alongside its operations in feature production and distribution. In 1996, Constantin's in-house TV arm began producing a series of "German Classics" for commercial broadcaster SAT1, including A Girl Called Rosemarie and Es Geschah Am Hellichten Tage.

Last year, shortly before its flotation on the Neuer Markt in September, Constantin acquired a 51% stake in TV production house Moovie - The Art Of Entertainment as part of its strategy to expand into the production of TV series and single TV movies.