Keira Knightley says new Christmas film is 'Love Actually directed by Lars von Trier' (exclusive)

Keira Knightley has teased that her upcoming Christmas film Silent Night is akin to Love Actually, if it were directed by ultra-dark European filmmaker Lars von Trier.

The film, which is currently shooting in the UK, is the feature directorial debut of writer-director Camille Griffin.

Plot details are shrouded in secrecy, but it has been revealed that the movie centres around an extended family meeting for Christmas dinner in a country locale.

In an interview to promote Miss World comedy-drama Misbehaviour, Knightley told Yahoo Movies UK that the new film approaches Christmas “through a different lens”.

Read more: Keira Knightley reveals Love Actually costume secret

She added: “I can say that, if you imagine Love Actually but directed by a sort of Lars von Trier, then that's the world that we're in. I'm really looking forward to it.

“It's a female writer-director, and she's a first-time director. It's going to be fun. I hope it works. If it works, it'll be really fun.”

Von Trier is best known for directing boundary-pushing, violent and sexual movies including Nymphomaniac, Antichrist and The House That Jack Built.

The film is being produced and financed by Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn’s Marv Films, and produced by Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray’s Maven Pictures. Matthew Goode and Annabelle Wallis will star alongside Knightley and Jojo Rabbit star Roman Griffin Davis, the director’s son.

In a statement Vaughn said: “Camille’s script is haunting and original – I was immediately captivated when I read it. I am very excited to be supporting her directorial debut and I can’t wait to make this film alongside Celine and Trudie.”

Read more: Andrew Lincoln concedes Love Actually scene was ‘creepy’

Knightley was just 17 years old when she played Juliet — the subject of Andrew Lincoln’s slightly unpleasant placard love declaration — in Richard Curtis’ festive classic Love Actually.

It seems as if her latest festive foray will be a very different one.

Knightley also revealed the movie biopic she’d love to make, having played a variety of memorable historical figures throughout her career.

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The star said she’d jump at the chance to portray Josephine de Beauharnais — the woman who went on to marry Napoleon Bonaparte.

She added: “It's set in The Terror in the French Revolution and that's interesting isn't it?

“Anyone that's written a script or anyone who fancies spending a lot of money trying to do the French Revolution, I'm totally in.”

In Misbehaviour, Knightley plays feminist activist Sally Alexander, who was one of a group of women’s liberation protesters who threw flour bombs at comedian Bob Hope during the Miss World event in 1970.

Greg Kinnear plays Hope, while Gugu Mbatha-Raw appears as Miss World winner Jennifer Hosten and Jessie Buckley plays another of the activists.

Read more: Who topped the list of Brits’ dream movie biopics?

The film is directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, who famously helmed the powerful BBC miniseries Three Girls.

“[Lowthorpe] just brings everyone together in this amazing way,” said Knightley.

“It was a low-budget film, so we really didn't have a lot of time and there was this big beauty pageant and storming of the beauty pageant in the middle of it. We only had three days to shoot it.

“I've never worked with a director who had to do so much and just kept her cool the entire way. It was very impressive.”

Misbehaviour is in UK cinemas from 13 March.