According to her agent, Keira Knightley - who has been Golden Globe nominated for her role in Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' - is to star in a film adaptation of Alessandro Baricco's bestselling novel 'Silk'.
'Silk' is set in the 1860s and tells the story of French merchant Herve Joncour who leaves his young wife, Helene (Knightley), in order to travels in search of silkworms in Japan after plague has destroyed the silkworms in the Middle East and Africa.
While there Joncour befriends a wealthy Japanese trader and falls in love with his beautiful European concubine.
The film will be directed by Francois Girard ('The Red Violin'), who has adapted the screenplay after a first draft was completed by Baricco.
Filming is set to start in spring 2006 when Knightley finishes work on 'The Pirates of the Caribbean' sequels.
