Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie — who is trying to make her directorial debut with an untitled project which tells the story of a couple who meet at the beginning of Bosnian war in 1992 — was no longer authorized to shoot her new film in Bosnia and is currently filming her project in Hungary.
She encountered some problems over claims that her movie is to feature a Serbian rapist and his Muslim victim. The Women Victims of War group has blamed the project claiming it will “mislead history”.
Culture Minister of the Muslim-Croat federation, Gavrilo Grahovac, – who met with representatives from the group – said he canceled the permission because the application had no screenplay attached to it. “They no longer have the authorization to shoot in Bosnia,” he added. “They will have it if they send us the scenario with a story which will be different from what we have been told by people who read it.”
However, Edin Sarkic, who represents Sarajevo’s Scout Film and is working with the 35-year-old actress on the movie, has denied it contains the specified scene. “Of course I deny that,” he said. “It is not in the script. I brought them the script and I am waiting for a positive response as soon as possible, I hope even today.”
Meanwhile, Emir Hadzihafizbegovic, Culture Minister for Sarajevo, says he is shocked by the decision to revoke Angelina’s permit. “Is this how we thank Angelina Jolie … for treating a Bosnian tragedy that has already been forgotten by the world … for hiring five or six Bosnian actors in her movie?” he said.
