First Trailer for Angelina Jolie's Directorial Debut 'In the Land of Blood and Honey'

One week, Angelina Jolie had the flu. So she did what any normal person would do: sit down and pen a screenplay about the horrors of the Bosnian War.

That spurt of dazed creativity became In the Land of Blood and Honey, which Jolie went on to shoot and now, with its first trailer debuting online, stands to be one of the major Oscar contenders at the end of the year.

The film chronicles the romance between a Bosnian couple, Danijel and Lejla, who find themselves separated by war, only to be brought back together when Lejla is taken prisoner and incarcerated at Danijel's POW camp. Heavy stuff, and a look into an aspect of modern history that often goes overshadowed by most. The trailer looks especially stark, not taking reservations in its depiction of violence or emotional outbursts.

In the Land of Blood and Honey could fall either way: a gripping war drama with an honest relationship at its center, or a ham-fisted sap fist that demands our emotional reaction. Here's hoping for the former, as the trailer certainly appears to deliver. Jolie's already broken out as one of the few female stars who can successfully dabble in both serious drama and high octane action—can she do the same behind the camera?