Harvey Keitel, best known for his roles in gangster movies such as Reservoir Dogs and Mean Streets, is to take the part of King Jan Sobieski, the Polish monarch who defeated troops from the Ottoman Empire at the gates of Vienna in 1683.

Authorities from the Subcarpathian Province are set to sign a contract with the makers of a big-budget film about The Relief of Vienna.

According to Aleksander Gorzelak-Nieduzy of the Provincial Marshal’s Office in Rzeszow, scenes will be shot in the picturesque castles of Lancut and Baranow Sandomierski. He added that the the main battle scenes will be recreated in Romania.

The film, directed by Renzo Martinelli is an Italian-Polish co-production with a budget of some 45 million zloty (12 million euro).

In 2006, it was reported that Mel Gibson was going to try his hand at filming the historic clash, but nothing came of the project. Martinelli’s  crew is due to arrive in Poland in June of this year. (nh/jb)

Source: PAP