Angelina Jolie Fires Back At ‘In The Land of Blood & Honey’ Copyright Lawsuit
The Oscar winning actress denied in the strongest legal terms that she took key elements of a book on the Bosnian War for her 2011 film In The Land of Blood and Honey. “Defendants independently created the Motion Picture without any influence of Plaintiff’s Subject Work,” said Jolie, along with fellow defendants GK Films and distributor Film District, in a 13-page response (read it here) filed yesterday. “Defendants further deny that the protectible elements of the Motion Picture and the book entitled “The Soul Shattering” (“Subject Work”) are legally or substantially similar under controlling Ninth Circuit law,” the response also says. James J. Braddock sued Jolie and the others, on December 2, 2011 for copyright infringement. Filing his suit three weeks before the film came out in America on December 23, 2011, the author accused Jolie and the companies of copying key elements of his 2007 book for In The Land of Blood and Honey.
Jolie, who both wrote and directed the film, has said she got the idea for the movie from her travels to the region as a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador and what she learned about the Bosnian War of the 1990s. This week, Jolie, GK Films and FilmDistrict’s lawyers made sure to point out what they said are differences between the film and the book. “Defendants admit that in the Motion Picture the main female character at times was a servant in a structure occupied by members of the Serbian military, but deny that she was ‘subject to continuous rape by soldiers and officers in the camp’ as alleged by Plaintiff. Defendants deny that the protectible elements of the Motion Picture and the Subject Work are legally or substantially similar under controlling Ninth Circuit authority,” said this week’s answer to Braddock’s complaint. The writer claims in that original filing that he met with producer Eric Sarkic in Sarajevo in 2007 and the two discussed making The Soul Shattering into a movie. In 2010 Braddock, whose real name is Josip Knežević, says he discovered that Sarkic was a producer on Jolie’s movie, prompting the sequence of events that lead to the lawsuit. The case was transferred from Illinois, where it was first filed, to California in early July of this year. With the defendants’ response, and its requisite request for costs, lawyer’s fees and further relief from the court, the case now heads towards the discovery phase. A phase that could take months more. Harrison J. Dossick and Christine M. Neuharth of L.A.’s Reed Smith represent Jolie, GK Films and FilmDistrict. Braddock is represented by Dariush G. Adli and Rasheed McWilliams of downtown’s Adli Law Group PC.
James J. Braddock, a journalist and writer based in Zagreb, sued Jolie, GK Films and distributor Film District for copyright infringement last December, claiming the movie she wrote and directed lifts much of its plot line from his book, "The Soul Shattering."
In a 13-page response to the suit obtained by TheWrap, Jolie and her co-defendants denied "that the protectible elements of the Motion Picture and the book entitled 'The Soul Shattering' ('Subject Work') are legally or substantially similar under controlling Ninth Circuit law."
Jolie said she came up with the concept for the film while working as a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador.
The defense attorneys admitted in the statement that there are similarities between the book and the film, including that the main female protagonist serves as a servant in a building controlled by the Serbian army. Unlike the character in Braddock's book, however, Jolie's character was not subject to continuous rape by soldiers and officers.
Braddock, whose real name is Josip Knežević, claimed in his original 2011 filing that he met with producer Eric Sarkic in 2007 to discuss making his book into a film.
He learned later that Sarkic was producing Jolie's movie and he filed a suit soon after in Illinois. The case was transfered to California in July.
The defense's arsenal has been beefed up further.
From the Just Jared Board
by M. Mazuran » Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:28 am
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Mr. Knezevic:
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My name is Mia Mazuran, and I am an English language professor. I am also the main editor of your book “The Soul Shattering”. I am the co-creator and co-translator (together with Mr. Korpar) of the written material related to the TSS project (the book itself was translated by Miss Dora Korpar, a brilliant American college student of Croatian ancestry). I am the person who met with you in Zagreb, Croatia when you were chasing Felix Korpar, begging him to get involved in the project. I am also the person who (after meeting with you and returning to Chicago) advised him not to get involved. Unfortunately, being an idealistic fool and believing that we were fighting for a “higher cause”, Mr. Korpar decided not to take my advice. I was the person who was present when his wife signed and sent the check which made the book publishing possible. I am the person who spent a good part of the previous year (together with the rest of the team – paid, organized and lead by Mr. Korpar) transforming one ill-written literary work into something acceptable to the American public. Knowing all the mentioned details, as well as innumerable other facts, I cannot believe what are you doing – defaming, with a myriad of lies, the very person who, without ever seeing you, pulled you from total obscurity, after you had been rejected and ridiculed by every relevant and irrelevant publisher for over a decade; the person who, together with his family, should be praised and respected by you until your last breath. Your actions speak the truth of who you are more than anything else, Mr. Knezevic.
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Still, this is not the main issue. The main question is whether “The Soul Shattering” has been used as the base for Ms. Jolie’s “In The Land Of Blood And Honey” or not.
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Manipulated and fed with false information provided by you and your associate Mr. Grubesic, we all acted as if it was a fact that the story for the movie had been stolen from you by Ms. Jolie. But then we saw the movie and, as people with professional pride and self respect, decided to alienate ourselves from the project. Mr. Korpar also decided to cease its financing. Chaos ensued immediately, and you, together with Mr. Grubesic, showed your true colors.
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Mr. Knezevic, I have a very comprehensive knowledge of the book, and after seeing the movie, my clear answer to the main question mentioned above is “no!” Your book has nothing to do with the movie, and I am ready to step in and explain this to the smallest detail in a court of law, if necessary. I will testify and try to protect the truth, as I see it. The rest of our team is ready to do the same. It is time to end this farce.
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Just one more thing before I conclude this letter: Please, do not offend people’s intelligence by claiming that other “supporters” write in your favor. The screen names Knezevic, Braddock, Guest, mm7, Tomjablan and many others are you, and only you, Mr. Knezevic. One gentleman who participates in this forum correctly described fractured and illogical English as your trade mark. He does not know, though (as I do), that your Croatian is not much better.
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Sincerely,
Prof. Mia Mazuran
