Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman in Oz with ``EUCALYPTUS''; Production Begins in Australia February 7.

HOLLYWOOD -- Fox Searchlight Pictures announced that production will begin February 7 on EUCALYPTUS, a sweepingly imaginative fairy tale about love and life in Australia, starring an Aussie cast led by Oscar(R) winners Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman, and Australian Film Institute Award winners Jack Thompson and Hugo Weaving. Based on the New York Times Notable Book of the Year of the same name written by Murray Bail, the film will be directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse from a screenplay she penned. It is produced by Uberto Pasolini (THE FULL MONTY) and Lynda House (MURIEL'S WEDDING) and executive produced by Crowe.

Said Russell Crowe of joining with the Australian filmmakers and cast: "With the help of a few friends we envision this movie as a line in the sand, a statement of power through ensemble and therefore of greater impetus to the industry in general. Per capita, Australians and New Zealanders have made an enormous contribution to world cinema. We fight above our weight. This project will prove to our aspiring writers that an Australian director using Australian actors can use international funding to tell an Australian story."

"I feel very lucky to be working with these extraordinary actors on such a uniquely Australian love story," Director/Writer Jocelyn Moorhouse added. "When I worked with Russell on PROOF, I was amazed by his powers as an actor and I can't wait to work with him again. Nicole has done brilliant work in overseas movies these last few years and I'm looking forward to working with her in a beautiful Australian setting."

In a world where life and love are fragile, a widower named Holland (Jack Thompson) plants hundreds of eucalyptuses as a memorial to his wife. Living in this man-made forest, hidden away from prying eyes, is Holland's beautiful and mysterious daughter Ellen (Nicole Kidman). Over the years, men have tried to woo Ellen, to no avail. One day, Holland realizes he can no longer keep Ellen hidden, and devises a seemingly impossible competition -- the man who can name all 800 eucalyptuses on Holland's property, by sight, will win his daughter's hand in marriage. Men come from all over the land to try their luck. As a brilliant, dashing botanist (Hugo Weaving) approaches the finishing line, Ellen finds herself drawn to a mysterious stranger (Russell Crowe) whose stories of far away places take root in her soul.

"It has long been a dream of mine to come home to make a film telling a uniquely Australian story," said Nicole Kidman. "To be able to do so with my good friend Russell makes EUCALYPTUS extra special. Jocelyn Moorhouse has written a beautiful script -- a story of love and devotion -- which I am sure has universal appeal. This will be a wonderful collaboration of Australian talent."

Amongst Russell Crowe's many accolades, he won the 2000 Academy Award(R) for Best Actor for GLADIATOR and was nominated for his roles in both THE INSIDER and A BEAUTIFUL MIND. He won Critics Choice Awards for his roles in all three films, won a Golden Globe(R) and a Screen Actors Guild Award for A BEAUTIFUL MIND and the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor for THE INSIDER. Crowe was most recently seen in Twentieth Century Fox's MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, which won two Academy Awards and was nominated for an additional eight. He will next be seen in CINDERELLA MAN, helmed by Ron Howard and co-starring Renee Zellweger.

Nicole Kidman won the 2002 Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and the Silver Berlin Bear Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance as Virginia Woolf in THE HOURS and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Ensemble. For her role as Satine in MOULIN ROUGE!, Kidman won a Golden Globe and received an Oscar nomination. She also won a Golden Globe for her performance in TO DIE FOR and was nominated for her role in 2003's COLD MOUNTAIN and 1992's BILLY BATHGATE. In 2005, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her lead role in BIRTH.

Hugo Weaving won Australian Film Institute Awards for his leading role opposite Russell Crowe in PROOF and his leading role in THE INTERVIEW. He won National Board of Review, Screen Actors Guild and Critics Choice Awards as part of the ensemble for THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING. Weaving's filmography includes the part of Agent Smith in all three Matrix films, the role of Elrond in all three THE LORD OF THE RINGS films; as well as AFI Award-nominated roles in THE OLD MAN WHO READ LOVE STORIES and THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT; and the voice of Rex, the Sheepdog, in BABE: PIG IN THE CITY. He will next be opposite Cate Blanchett in LITTLE FISH.

Jack Thompson won the Australian Film Institute and Cannes Film Festival Awards for his role in BREAKER MORANT. His recent film credits include THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON, in which he stars opposite Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Don Cheadle; ORIGINAL SIN opposite Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas; MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL with Kevin Spacey and John Cusack; and STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES. His filmography also includes: EXCESS BAGGAGE, THE SUM OF US, in which he appeared with Russell Crowe; A FAR OFF PLACE and THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER, amongst many others.

Director/Writer Jocelyn Moorhouse (HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT, A THOUSAND ACRES) first worked with Crowe and Weaving on 1991's PROOF, which was also produced by Lynda House. Author Murray Bail received the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book for the novel Eucalyptus, which also received the prestigious Miles Franklin Award. Bail is also the author of Holden's Performance and Homesickness, which won Australia's National Book Award.

EUCALYPTUS will be shot in Australia by Director of Photography Mandy Walker (SHATTERED GLASS, LANTANA). Both the production and costumes will be designed by three-time Oscar nominee Janet Patterson (OSCAR AND LUCINDA, THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY, THE PIANO).

Claudia Lewis, Executive Vice President of Production for Fox Searchlight, will oversee the project for Searchlight.

Fox Searchlight Pictures is a filmmaker-oriented company that focuses on distinctive films helmed by world-class auteurs and exciting newcomers. It has its own marketing and distribution operations and its films are distributed internationally by Twentieth Century Fox. Fox Searchlight Pictures is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group.