Judge questions villagers' Borat lawsuit

A judge in New York told lawyers who filed a €22.3m lawsuit accusing the makers of hit movie Borat of misleading residents of a remote Romanian village that they must make specific allegations in their lawsuit if they want it to have a chance at success.

The lawyers said they would refile the lawsuit, which alleged the residents were duped into participating in what they thought was a documentary that would benefit them rather than comedy hit Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan.

US District Judge Loretta Preska reminded the lawyers that the lawsuit would have to have specific enough facts alleging the villagers were misled before she could order defendants to turn over documents that might help the villagers build their case.

The lawsuit in Manhattan was filed on behalf of Nicolae Todorache and Spiridom Ciorebea, two residents of Glod, a remote Romanian village whose gypsies were used as stand-ins for Kazakhs in the movie.

The lawsuit alleges that 20th Century Fox Film Corporation and others involved in the film exploited the plaintiffs and other residents of Glod, telling them the film was a documentary about extreme poverty in Romania that would fairly depict their lives, living conditions, occupations, community, heritage and beliefs.

Slade Metcalf, a lawyer for the movie company, said the lawsuit did not make a specific enough claim on behalf of the villagers to be considered by the court.

He said the company should not have to turn over documents related to the villagers so their lawyers could go on a fishing expedition to see if any of the papers were improperly prepared.

A lawyer for the villagers claimed that representatives of the defendants have tried to pay some villagers to be silent since they complained about the film, but Metcalf said the allegation was not true.

Glod is located 85 miles north-west of Bucharest. The movie, starring Sacha Baron Cohen, has been a surprise hit at the box office, earning more than €74.2m in the US.