Local producer Edin Sarkic told AFP the shooting had started at a location in Sarajevo in the absence of Jolie, who was expected in Bosnia at a later date.

Due to heavy rain the shooting started hours later than originally planned, according to an AFP photographer.

The daily Dnevni Avaz reported that Jolie's crew will film only panoramic views of the capital Sarajevo and some scenes in the central town of Vares.

Sarkic told national radio that the shooting was originally planned at 17 locations in Bosnia but will now only be done in five.

Jolie herself is still in Hungary filming scenes for the movie, a love story between a Muslim woman and a Serb man set against the background of Bosnia's bloody 1992-95 inter-ethnic war, the local producer told AFP.

According to local media reports the shooting in Bosnia is to end on Sunday.

The Hollywood superstar started filming her first feature as a director in Hungary's capital Budapest in early October.

According to a short synopsis of the film a young couple is separated as the war starts. When they see each other again the girl, a Muslim, is held in a detention camp where her former boyfriend is now a guard.

The movie caused controversy in Bosnia when local media reported rumours that the film was the story of a Muslim rape victim who falls in love with her Serb attacker.

Women victims' associations complained about the reported content and in mid-October the Bosnian authorities suspended Jolie's filming permit.

It was quickly reinstated after Jolie sent the authorities a copy of the script which her Bosnian production company says does not include any rape love story.

The actress-turned-director has said she wants to meet the associations who complained about her film while she is shooting in Bosnia to clear up any misunderstandings.

"Until now all we have is her wish and promise that she will come" to meet thems but no date has been set yet, Bakira Hasecic of the Women Victims of War (WVW) association told AFP Wednesday.

The association was in contact with Jolie since late August through the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), as she is its goodwill ambassador, Hasecic explained.

The last time WVW contacted Jolie was on November 1.

The 1992-1995 war between Bosnia's Croats, Muslims and Serbs claimed some 100,000 lives.

Government officials say at least 20,000 mostly Muslim women suffered sexual abuse during the conflict.