Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has thrown her support behind an Ethiopian movie by signing on as an executive producer.

The Oscar winner has joined the team behind Difret, which is one of the movies taking part in the Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Dramatic Competition this month (Jan14).

The movie tells the story of a female lawyer fighting against the Ethiopian tradition of young girls being abducted for marriage.

Jolie says, "This film is a strong moment for art in Ethiopia. It is inspiring to see such an important story so beautifully illustrated with such creative talent. It draws out the richness of Ethiopian culture and shows how important legal advances can be made while respecting local culture. It is a story that gives hope for Ethiopia's future, and for other countries where countless girls grow up without the protection of laws that shield them and their bodies, and shows how the courage of brave individuals can awaken the conscience of a society."

Jolie has strong connections to the African country as she adopted her daughter Zahara from an Ethiopian orphanage.

The Sundance Film Festival kicks off in Utah on Thursday (16Jan14).