IFFI director refutes reports on Iranian jury member quitting panel

Panaji, Nov 29 (IANS) International Film Festival Of India (IFFI) director Shankar Mohan Tuesday denied reports that Iranian female director Tahmineh Milani, a member of the international jury, had refused to take up jury duties in protest against the presence of an Israeli filmmaker on the panel.

Asked to comment on a news report Tuesday by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), which said that Milani had refused to join the jury panel, Mohan said: 'She has not returned. As far as I know.'

ISNA in its report published online Tuesday, said: 'Iranian director Tahmineh Milani refused to join Goa International Film festival of India (IFFI) to show objection to presence of an Israeli jury member in the event'.

The report also claimed that the Iranian female director had 'returned home for sympathy with Palestine nation'.

Milani, whose women-centric films has even resulted in her being imprisoned, was one of the jury members along with Israeli Dan Wolfman, a award winning filmmaker from Jerusalem and renowned Indian filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who heads the panel.

Milani, however, was not available for comment.