Slovenian director Metod Pevec's Beneath Her Window isbeing withdrawn from Karlovy Vary International Film Festival's (July 2 -10)official competition because it was shown at last November's film festival inLjubljana.

International producer body FIAPF's director general Bertrand Moullierapproached Karlovy Vary's artistic director Eva Zaoralova at last week'smeeting of European Coordination of Film Festivals in Brussels to inform herthat the film had already been screened at an international film festival(namely, Ljubljana).

Zaoralova told ScreenDaily.com: "Unfortunately, we were not awareof this fact. It is impossible and against the regulations of FIAPF"A" recognised film festivals to present films in competition whichhad already been presented in competition at any other international filmfestival. Ljubljana has got the status of the international film festival, butspecialised."

Zaoralova said she was "extremely sorry" to have to withdraw the filmfrom Competition, but would now show it on the originally planned dates as aninformation screening.

In response to Karlovy Vary's decision, Ljubljana's festival director JelkaStergel criticised the existing FIAPF regulations governing international filmfestivals, which are set to be changed at the end of the year.

Speaking to ScreenDaily.com at this week's Munich FilmFestival, Stergel said that "the position of exclusivity belongs to thepast" and pointed out that "there is the danger producers will notgive us their regional films because they would be afraid that they won't beaccepted by an 'A' category festival."