An attorney representing an Italian office worker has filed legal papers alleging that the screenplay for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was based on a story she wrote in 1994.

Adriana Pichini, a Roman office worker, said the film is coined from her story,  “Il ritorno di Arthur all’innocenza” (Arthur’s Return to Innocence).

David Fincher‘s film sees Brad Pitt in the main role of Benjamin Button, a  man born with a rare illness that makes him age backwards.

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Though the story was never published, it was officially registered with the proper Italian copyright authorities in 1994 .

According to Gianni Massaro, Pichini’s lawyer, a file was opened with the Rome Tribunal Court. A judge will therefore watch the film and read the story to determine if there are enough similarities to launch an investigation.

Massaro, a fixture in the Italian cinema industry and a former president of the Italian audiovisual association ANICA, said in an interview that he is not sure if Pichini will seek financial damages against Fincher, screenwriter Eric Roth and the film’s producers.

As reported by Reuteurs agency Massaro said, “At this point it’s still a matter of principle.” 

It is not clear what authority an Italian court would have in this case, though Massaro noted that the film’s producers, Hollywood studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, both have Italian operations.

No timetable has been set for the judge’s viewing. The rest of Italy will be able to see the film when it goes into nationwide release February 13.