Is Angelina Jolie"s Directorial Debut Original?
Throughout her career, Angelina Jolie has become a frequent fixture in headline news.
The actress has more than proven her ability to bring in crowds at the box office for films in which she stars.
When word was announced that she would soon be making her directorial debut with a script she also wrote, more than a few people wondered whether she would be able to pull it off.
The romantic drama is set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War during the 1990s and tells the story of a Bosnian Muslim woman, Ajla, and a Serb soldier, Danijel.
Previously involved before the war, the two now found themselves at odds when Ajla is taken captive, held prisoner and forced to act as a sex slave with other women in a camp supervised by none other than Danijel.
Entitled "In the Land of Blood and Honey," the film had already received a fair amount of attention when author James J.
Braddock lodged a lawsuit against Jolie mere weeks before the 2011 release of the film.
Braddock cited that Jolie had ripped off parts of his own book in order to create her wartime drama.
He further stated that he had even spoken with producer Eric Sarkic regarding the possibility of converting his book into a film.
When Sarkic ultimately produced "Blood and Honey," Braddock claimed he was shocked at the turn of events.
Jolie immediately and vehemently denied taking any parts of the book to create her own script.
It is Jolie's claim that the idea for the script occurred to her from her role as a UN ambassador.
Along with longtime boyfriend Brad Pitt, Jolie visited Bosnia in 2010.
She received honorary citizenship for her efforts on the film.
In court papers filed in response to the lawsuit, Jolie denied violating any copyright laws.
The studio has further denied that Jolie has ever read Braddock's novel.
Defense attorneys for Jolie and other defendants involved in the case did admit that there were some similarities between Braddock's book and Jolie's film.
Specifically, both involve a female character who is forced to serve in a building that is under control by the Serbian Army.
One of the primary differences that set Jolie's film apart from Braddock's book is that Serbian officers and soldiers never continuously rape the female protagonist in "Blood and Honey," as is the case with the book in question.
There are also other differences between Jolie's script and Braddock's book.
In Braddock's novel, the first time the main characters meet is after the female captive is taken hostage.
In Jolie's script, a connection between the two characters is established well in advance of the woman's capture.
It was initially reported during the film's shooting that it was to be based on a Bosnian woman who finds she is falling in love with the Serbian soldier who rapes her.
Such reports drew protests from an association for Bosnian Women Victims of War.
Braddock, whose real name is Josip J.
Knezevic, is a writer and journalist based in Zagreb.
His primary contention is that Jolie stole much of the plot line for her script from his book.
He originally filed a suit in Illinois; however, the case was subsequently transferred to California.
Currently, Jolie is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit entirely.
There is no word yet whether she will succeed in her efforts or more is yet to come.
Jolie, who has previously received tremendous praise for her humanitarian efforts, also received the 2012 Stanley Kramer Award for the film.
The award is named for Stanley Kramer, known for producing socially conscious films.
"In the Land of Blood and Honey" opened to a very limited release in December of 2011.
The lawsuit is hardly the first controversy involving "Blood and Honey.
" The production of the film was ultimately protested to such a degree in Sarajevo that the production was finally kicked out of the entire country.
Ultimately, it was shot in Esztergom and Budapest during the autumn of 2010.
The film's cast was comprised entirely of local actors hailing from former Yugoslavia, many of whom experienced the day-to-day horrors of the war.
Two versions of the film were shot.
One was produced in local languages, while the other was produced in English.
Given the fact that "Blood and Honey" is a directorial debut for Jolie, there is a tremendous amount at stake regarding the copyright infringement claim.
If a court should determine that Jolie did infringe upon Braddock's novel with her script for "Blood and Honey," there could be a grave pall cast over what is largely seen as a first serious script.
The actress has more than proven her ability to bring in crowds at the box office for films in which she stars.
When word was announced that she would soon be making her directorial debut with a script she also wrote, more than a few people wondered whether she would be able to pull it off.
The romantic drama is set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War during the 1990s and tells the story of a Bosnian Muslim woman, Ajla, and a Serb soldier, Danijel.
Previously involved before the war, the two now found themselves at odds when Ajla is taken captive, held prisoner and forced to act as a sex slave with other women in a camp supervised by none other than Danijel.
Entitled "In the Land of Blood and Honey," the film had already received a fair amount of attention when author James J.
Braddock lodged a lawsuit against Jolie mere weeks before the 2011 release of the film.
Braddock cited that Jolie had ripped off parts of his own book in order to create her wartime drama.
He further stated that he had even spoken with producer Eric Sarkic regarding the possibility of converting his book into a film.
When Sarkic ultimately produced "Blood and Honey," Braddock claimed he was shocked at the turn of events.
Jolie immediately and vehemently denied taking any parts of the book to create her own script.
It is Jolie's claim that the idea for the script occurred to her from her role as a UN ambassador.
Along with longtime boyfriend Brad Pitt, Jolie visited Bosnia in 2010.
She received honorary citizenship for her efforts on the film.
In court papers filed in response to the lawsuit, Jolie denied violating any copyright laws.
The studio has further denied that Jolie has ever read Braddock's novel.
Defense attorneys for Jolie and other defendants involved in the case did admit that there were some similarities between Braddock's book and Jolie's film.
Specifically, both involve a female character who is forced to serve in a building that is under control by the Serbian Army.
One of the primary differences that set Jolie's film apart from Braddock's book is that Serbian officers and soldiers never continuously rape the female protagonist in "Blood and Honey," as is the case with the book in question.
There are also other differences between Jolie's script and Braddock's book.
In Braddock's novel, the first time the main characters meet is after the female captive is taken hostage.
In Jolie's script, a connection between the two characters is established well in advance of the woman's capture.
It was initially reported during the film's shooting that it was to be based on a Bosnian woman who finds she is falling in love with the Serbian soldier who rapes her.
Such reports drew protests from an association for Bosnian Women Victims of War.
Braddock, whose real name is Josip J.
Knezevic, is a writer and journalist based in Zagreb.
His primary contention is that Jolie stole much of the plot line for her script from his book.
He originally filed a suit in Illinois; however, the case was subsequently transferred to California.
Currently, Jolie is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit entirely.
There is no word yet whether she will succeed in her efforts or more is yet to come.
Jolie, who has previously received tremendous praise for her humanitarian efforts, also received the 2012 Stanley Kramer Award for the film.
The award is named for Stanley Kramer, known for producing socially conscious films.
"In the Land of Blood and Honey" opened to a very limited release in December of 2011.
The lawsuit is hardly the first controversy involving "Blood and Honey.
" The production of the film was ultimately protested to such a degree in Sarajevo that the production was finally kicked out of the entire country.
Ultimately, it was shot in Esztergom and Budapest during the autumn of 2010.
The film's cast was comprised entirely of local actors hailing from former Yugoslavia, many of whom experienced the day-to-day horrors of the war.
Two versions of the film were shot.
One was produced in local languages, while the other was produced in English.
Given the fact that "Blood and Honey" is a directorial debut for Jolie, there is a tremendous amount at stake regarding the copyright infringement claim.
If a court should determine that Jolie did infringe upon Braddock's novel with her script for "Blood and Honey," there could be a grave pall cast over what is largely seen as a first serious script.
