Angelina Jolie is having some issues with her directorial debut. The actress and activist committed to making her first behind-the-camera film in war-torn Sarajevo, in order to draw international attention to the Bosnian people. While the film is still set in Bosnia, it's now going to be filmed mostly in Hungary -- after a rumor about the film's plot caused the Bosnian government to cancel Jolie's filming permit.
Since the movie is a love story between a Bosnian woman and a Serbian man (set at the start of the Bosnian War in 1992), it was bound to create some controversy in the divided nation formerly known as Yugoslavia. But the rallying force behind Jolie's departure was, surprisingly, a women's rights group.
Here's what happened: after Jolie began production on the film (which she also wrote), rumors developed that the central love story was about a rapist and his victim. That's a plot that would make most women seriously uneasy, but the women of Bosnia took it as a personal affront, since rape was a common war crime during the Bosnian-Serbian conflict. After angry victims' rights groups spoke out, the filming permit was withdrawn. Although the rumors about the film's plot were unfounded and the filming permit was later reinstated, Jolie's crew decided that it would be easier to film the remaining scenes in Budapest.
As for Angelina, she seems sincerely apologetic about the misunderstanding, and has declared her intention to meet with one of the film's main opponents, the Women's Victims of War association, next time she's in Bosnia.
Jolie has said that her yet-untitled movie is "a love story, not a political statement." Its stars are all locals from the region, although her partner Brad Pitt will have a cameo part.
Do you think it's good that Angelina Jolie is making a movie in Bosnia? Chime in below!
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