Some descendants of the Von Trapp family singers, known throughout the world thanks to The Sound of Music, are themselves now hoping for movie stardom.

According to Reuters, four of the grandchildren of Werner von Trapp, the younger of the two boys in the brood of seven and known in the film as Kurt, are starring in a Christmas-themed film aimed for release in 2007.

Tentatively titled Von Trapp Children Christmas Movie, the story centres on the children travelling home for Christmas after touring, carrying with them a "very special Christmas tree". A detour leads to attempts by a pair of bumbling thieves to steal the tree while the children help to bring two lovelorn friends together.

The four siblings - Sofia, 18, Melanie, 16, Amanda, 15, and Justin, 11 - are no strangers to showbiz: they've spent the last four years touring the world performing such chestnuts as Do-Re-Mi, Favourite Things and The Lonely Goatherd.

The screenplay is by Paul Shapiro, who has some form on road trip movies: he also wrote 1992's Breaking the Rules and 1993's Jason Priestley-starring Calendar Girl.

Shooting on the film, budgeted at $4m, is scheduled to start in late December in the children's home state of Montana.