UN Opens Door to Hollywood

The United Nations has managed to solve one major international problem to the satisfaction of all concerned and no loss of life. It has given permission for the makers of a film starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn to shoot scenes at its New York headquarters.

The world body has turned down many previous requests to film inside its HQ - not least because of security worries. But officials have now relented and opened the door to The Interpreter, a thriller about a member of the UN staff, to be directed by Sydney Pollack, who made Out of Africa. Filming is due to start next month.

A UN official said yesterday that Kofi Annan, the secretary general, and senior members of the general assembly and security council had given their approval. "The secretary general and his advisers decided it was in the organisation's interest to bring its work to the attention of the ordinary cinema-viewing audience in this case," said the official.

It is unclear whether Mr Annan will appear in the film to give it greater credibility.