An independent German film was being shot Tuesday in a dusty scene near the railway just north of the Red Bridge.

Heritage train KHR 2141, built in 1912 as a coal-burning engine, was one of the stars.

The German-language film is titled Gold, and is the story of seven German immigrants during the gold rush.

Produced on a two-million euro budget in a conjoined effort between Vancouver-based Red Cedar Films and Berlin's Schramm Film, the opening sequence is being filmed in Kamloops with other parts of the film to be recorded in Cache Creek and the Big Bar area west of there.

Florian Koerner von Gustorf, producer with Schramm Film, said it's his first time filming in North America.

He said about 20 Kamloops residents worked on set Tuesday.

Brad Henry, vice president of the Kamloops Heritage Railway, was among them. He said when he first heard about the project months ago, he told them they could use the heritage train in the film on one condition - that he be included as an extra. He was clad in a gold rush-era costume.

Nina Hoss, a well-known actress in Germany, stars in the film.

Henrik Meyer of Vancouver's Red Cedar Films, a co-producer, is serving as the film's resident gold rush expert.

He is also shooting another film titled Shana in the area right now.