I think this is still more correct

git-svn-id: http://sorl-thumbnail.googlecode.com/svn/trunk@423 18c32c52-eb3f-0410-93bd-f15eff1430f4

sorl/thumbnail/main.py

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import os
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.utils.encoding import iri_to_uri, force_unicode
+from django.utils.encoding import iri_to_uri
 
 from sorl.thumbnail.base import Thumbnail
 from sorl.thumbnail.processors import dynamic_import
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ class DjangoThumbnail(Thumbnail):
     def __init__(self, relative_source, requested_size, opts=None,
                  quality=None, basedir=None, subdir=None, prefix=None,
                  relative_dest=None, processors=None):
-        relative_source = force_unicode(relative_source)
         # Set the absolute filename for the source file
         source = self._absolute_path(relative_source)
 

sorl/thumbnail/templatetags/thumbnail.py

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import math
 from django.template import Library, Node, Variable, VariableDoesNotExist, TemplateSyntaxError
 from django.conf import settings
+from django.utils.encoding import force_unicode
 from sorl.thumbnail.main import DjangoThumbnail, get_thumbnail_setting
 from sorl.thumbnail.processors import dynamic_import, get_valid_options
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ def render(self, context):
         DEBUG = get_thumbnail_setting('DEBUG')
         # Resolve source variable
         try:
-            relative_source = self.source_var.resolve(context)
+            relative_source = force_unicode(self.source_var.resolve(context))
         except VariableDoesNotExist:
             if DEBUG:
                 raise VariableDoesNotExist("Variable '%s' does not exist." %