Antonio Banderas has taken the lead in Carlos Saura's drama, 33 Days.

The French and Spanish language drama has the actor playing Pablo Picasso during his emotional turmoil as he worked on masterpiece Guernica. The title refers to the time Pablo Picasso spent on the mural, which captured his reaction to the destruction of Basque town of Guernica in 1937 by the Nazi Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War. The film shows how the painting proved near salvation for Picasso at a moment of personal crisis and focuses on Picasso's relationship with his lover, French artist Dora Maar.

The director wrote the script with Spanish producer Elías Querejeta.

The project will begin production next summer in Paris and Guernica.