Angela Jolie denied ripping off a Croatian journalist's book about the 1990s war in Bosnia in her 2011 film "In the Land of Milk and Honey."

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."

Also read: Angelina Jolie Sued Over 'Blood and Honey' Plot [4]

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.