DENPASAR (Indonesia) - DOZENS of angry Indonesian villagers demanded thousands of dollars from a crew filming Julia Roberts' new movie, Eat, Pray, Love, officials said Friday.

Embarrassed officials said that when the crew arrived in Bali island's Bentuyung village a month ahead of schedule, locals blocked roads and demanded US$32,000 (S$44,500).

'There was a misunderstanding. The crew came in 20 trucks... earlier than their scheduled shooting on Nov 10, so the villagers were offended and blocked the roads,' district chief Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati told AFP.

'They asked for 300 million rupiah (S$44,500) to use the location for filming. I was very embarrassed and told them this was unacceptable.' He said the problem had been resolved and the crew allowed through, but added he would like to make it up to Roberts by inviting her to lunch at his house.

'Everything is okay now. The villagers understand. Many local and international films have been shot here with no problem at all,' he said.

The film is based on Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling memoir of the same name. -- AFP