Pathe has boarded Africa United, an adventure story based around the 2010 Football World Cup, which will start shooting on  February 8 in South Africa, Rwanda and Burundi.

Written by Rhidian Brook, it tells the story of three Rwandan children who run away from home in a bid to take part in the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Johannesburg, gathering a team of displaced kids on their epic 3000 mile journey.

The UK/Rwanda/South African co-production is the directorial debut of Debs Gardner-Paterson (pictured).  It is being produced by Mark Blaney and Jackie Sheppard for UK-based production company Footprint Films, with Rwandan producer Eric Kabera for Link Media alongside co- producer Lance Samuels for Out Of Africa Entertainment and Mark Hubbard.

The film is being financed by Pathe, along with BBC Films, the UK Film Council and the Rwanda Film Commission. 

Pathe International will handle international sales with the film being distributed by Pathe in France and for Pathe by Warner Bros Pictures UK in the UK.

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