Busy FilmDistrict has inserted the actress’ feature directorial debut In The Land Of Blood And Honey into its 2011 slate and will release in the US on Dec 23.

Jolie wrote the screenplay to the story, which is set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War in the 1990s and explores the consequences of the lack of political will to intervene in the war-ravaged region.

Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic and Rade Serbedzija lead a local cast, many of whom were children of the war according to sources.

Jolie shot simultaneously in English and the local language, formerly referred to as Serbo-Croatian and now known as BHS. FilmDistrict will release the English-language version. GK Films financed and produced the film.

“The film is specific to the Bosnian War, but it’s also universal,” said Jolie. “I wanted to tell a story of how human relationships and behavior are deeply affected by living inside a war.

“Working with Angelina on this film and story has been a great collaboration and I am extremely proud of this film,” said GK Films’ Graham King, who launched FilmDistrict last autumn with business partner Tim Headington and Peter Schlessel. “The filmmaking is impeccable, and signals the arrival of a visceral and compelling storyteller.”

FilmDistrict has been in an acquisitive mood of late, pouncing on US rights to Rian Johnson’s sci-fi film Looper and Gabriele Muccino’s rom-com Playing The Field.