Italian film-maker Nanni Moretti has renounced his appointment asartistic director of the Turin Film Festival just two days after hisnomination was made public.

Moretti's nomination to top the Turin fest - which is dedicated tocutting edge fare and young directors - was hailed as a positivereaction to pressures created by the splash of the Rome Film Festivalon the autumn festival calendar.

But Moretti's nomination - according to the director himself- sparkedtoo many problems.

'I thought that my candidature could help afestival that I have always loved and followed, instead it hascomplicated things,' he said in explanation of his departure.

'It is therefore with great pain that I renounce the post and leave you toyour problems and methods - to your procedural contrasts and badfeelings.'

Those problems include disagreements between Gianni Rondolino-(Turin's founder as well as president of the Young Cinema Associationwhich, until now, has organized the Turin Film Festival) and AlbertoBarbera, director of Turin's famed cinema museum and a member ofTurin's board of directors.

Barbera as well Turin Film Commissionpresident Stefano della Casa immediately resigned their posts whenMoretti quit.

Barbera told Italian daily La Repubblica 'the project that I supportedfailed, and I have decided to go.'

Moretti's departure was likely motivated by the idea that a newMoretti - topped event would create a split from Turin's foundingassociation. And although he extended an invitation to Turin'sprevious co-directors Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan and Roberto Turigliattoto collaborate, the invitation was refused.

'It is not possible to take his offer (of collaboration) inconsideration since a new festival of cinema in Turin would damage theYoung Cinema Association'that has promoted the Turin Film Festival for24 years,' D'Agnolo Vallan and Turigliatto said in a note.

Moretti rebutted expressing discomfort at being considered a politicalinstrument - 'we haven't understood each other,' he said regretfully.

Turin Mayor Sergio Chiamparino expressed the wish that Morettireconsider his decision.

Nanni Moretti -one of Italy's most prolific directors- won the 2001Palme D'or for his family drama The Son's Room.

His 2006 anti-Berlusconi film The Caiman topped the Italian box office lastspring and became one of the top local earners of 2006.

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