DeNiro, Pfeiffer begin shooting 'Malavita'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- French director Luc Besson began principal photography Wednesday on "Malavita," a film starring Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer, producers said.

Filming commenced in Normandy, France, and will continue at La Cite du Cinema where the new Studios de Paris are located. Additional shooting will take place in New York.

Besson adapted the film from the novel "Badfellas" by Tonino Benacquista. It tells the story of the Manzonis, a notorious organized crime family relocated to Normandy under the witness protection program, a synopsis said.

The movie is set for a 2013 release.