A federal judge has issued a ruling, saying that she didn't find 'substantial similarity' between Jolie's 2011 film and James J. Braddock's book 'Slamanje Duse'.
- Mar 30, 2013
AceShowbiz - Angelina Jolie has scored a victory in a copyright lawsuit filed against her and "In the Land of Blood and Honey" producers by a Croatian journalist. On Friday, March 29, U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee issued a ruling, writing that she didn't find enough "substantial similarity" between the 2011 film Jolie directed and the book "Slamanje Duse" by James J. Braddock, who filed the suit.
Pointing out the difference between the two works, Gee wrote, "Although 'Blood and Honey' is also a story of love, it highlights the complications of romantic love during wartime" between its two key characters. She added, " 'Blood and Honey' is primarily a story of betrayal, revenge and tragedy with little or no hope, while Slamanje Duse focuses on family, love and strength."
Though noticing that both the film and the book include escape sequences and brutal rape scenes, Gee said Braddock couldn't claim to have "invented the concept of rape as a war crime... particularly in light of the fact that those overlapping concepts are commonplace in books and films depicting war."
Braddock, thus, has been ordered to tell the court why his complaint should not be dismissed with prejudice by no later than April 12.
Responding to the ruling, Harrison Dossick who represented Jolie and other defendants said, "The Court's tentative ruling was thorough and well reasoned. We are hopeful the court will adopt it in full when the final order is issued." The decision was made final shortly afterwards.
