Angelina Jolie sits in director's chair for Bosnian war tale

Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie didnt set out to make a film about the 1991-95 Bosnian war, but the United Nations goodwill ambassador was deeply affected the more she learned about the ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims by Serbian armed forces, and the campaign of rape against women.

I never thought that it was going to be a film. I just sat down one day with my frustrations with the lack of intervention, the violence against women, Jolie said in an interview at New Yorks Waldorf Towers. Her film, In the Land of Blood and Honey, opens Friday.

My passion was to get a great education in Bosnia and somehow it led to this film. I met the people from the region and I just followed their lead. I didnt have to teach these people what it was like to live through war, they had to teach me.

Though a first-time director, Jolie was inspired by the best. As an actress on Clint Eastwoods Changeling, she learned the importance of a quiet set.

She whispers suggestions in my ear, said Rade Serbedzija (Taken 2), who plays Nebojsa, a brutal Serbian general. She was very gentle as a director, nice, sure in what shes doing.

Im not a screamer, Jolie said with a smile.

Clint Eastwood taught me about working with people you love and making a family. Hes also very fast. I had to learn about the economy of a shoot and a budget to get through it.

She also credited Michael Winterbottom, her director on A Mighty Heart, because of the way he set the tone and made it feel real.

The most difficult thing for all of us was making sure that we were finding a balance in the politics, she added.

I knew that we were coming from a right place in our hearts and that our intentions were good. But you still feel this huge pressure and responsibility to this very real, very difficult part of history. You represent all of these people and this time.

Surprisingly, Jolie filmed Bosnian and English versions.

Because the cast can act in both languages, we all! decided that the reason for this film was to open up this discussion. So for people not comfortable to sit in a movie with subtitles, we also wanted them to be able to hear this story and learn about it.

They worked twice as hard but they did it with the commitment to the idea that we wanted to reach as many people as possible.