Casting Focused on Realism, Featuring Actresses from Sarajevo

Angelina Jolie, who has extended her hand to the vulnerable as a special envoy for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and as a humanitarian activist, now brings 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' to Japan. Inspired by the stories of women victimized by the Bosnian War, she felt compelled to make this film, taking on the roles of director and screenwriter.

The cast emphasizes realism: Zana Marjanović, originally from Sarajevo, plays Ayla, a Muslim painter targeted by Serbian soldiers. Goran Kostić, a Bosnian Serb, portrays Daniel, Ayla's former lover who becomes an enemy officer. This casting choice enhances the film's authenticity.

Ayla's Dignity as a Woman Undermined in the Camp

In 1992, as the civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina intensified, Ayla, a painter, is captured by Serbian soldiers and imprisoned in a camp. Life in the camp is harsh, marked by days of humiliation that strip her of her dignity as a woman.

However, to protect Ayla, her former lover Daniel, now a Serbian officer, assigns her the task of painting his portrait. Temporarily escaping the hell of the camp under Daniel's protection, Ayla finds their past love rekindling as she paints his portrait. Yet, their feelings stand in stark contrast to the escalating war.

Photo: Dean Semler

"Hearing the stories of women used as human shields and brutally mistreated, I worried about how much I could truly empathize with their feelings of degradation. But I felt this was a story only I could tell," says Jolie of her passionate directorial debut. A profound love story has emerged from the brutal history of conflict.

In the Land of Blood and Honey
Nationwide release on Saturday, August 10th, at Shinjuku Piccadilly and other theaters.
Directed and Written by | Angelina Jolie
Starring | Zana Marjanović, Goran Kostić, Rade Šerbedžija
Distribution | Ayapro
2011 | USA | 127 min | R15
http://saiainodaichi.ayapro.ne.jp/

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