In surprise turn of events, Venice artistic director Moritz de Hadlen has withdrawn Indian film In The Forest...Again (Abar Arannye) from the Upstream competition two days before the end of the festival - because the title has just screened at the rival Montreal Film Festival.

According to Venice's regulations, any film that screens in one of the Lido's two competitions can not have premiered in another festival prior to its Venice screening.

However, Goutam Ghose's film screened in Montreal on August 29th - a full five days before its Venice bow on September 3rd.

The film is now officially screening out-of-competition.

In a statement released today (Thursday,) Venice organizers said De Hadeln had decided not to announce any earlier his decision to remove the
film from competition "out of respect for Italian culture minister Giuliano Urbani and the Indian culture minister, who attended Abar Arannye's official gala screening on September 3rd."

Written, lit and directed by Ghose, In The Forest...Again is about four city kids who take a holiday in the jungle in the 1960s. Now adults, three of them decide to take another trip together and relive the past.

The film is produced and distributed world-wide by Rainbow - T Sarkar Combine.