Roman Polanski announced today that he will direct a film adaptation of David Ives's play "Venus in Fur," a Broadway and off-Broadway success, that received a TonyŽ nomination for Best Play and garnered a Tony for Nina Arianda as Best Actress. Polanski will work on the erotic black comedy while awaiting completion of the screenplay for D., based on the historic Dreyfus scandal, which Polanski will direct as well.

Venus in Fur will be filmed in French and will star Emmanuelle Seigner and Louis Garrel.

"I've been looking for a chance to make a film in French with Emmanuelle for a long time," says Roman Polanski, who previously directed Seigner in Frantic and Bitter Moon. "Reading 'Venus in Fur' I realized the moment had arrived. I got so fired up to put this brilliant black comedy on film that I decided to fit it in before 'D.,' whose screenplay and pre-production will demand a few more months. Louis Garrel and Emmanuelle Seigner will make for a stunning duo."

The film Venus in Fur is adapted by Roman Polanski and David Ives, the play's author, and produced by Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde, longtime associates of Roman Polanski. It will be independently financed and will begin filming in Paris this November.

Lionsgate/Summit International will represent the film's international sales and ICM will represent North American rights.