TEHRAN -- Following the request of Iran’s embassy in Thailand, Marjan Satrapi’s “Persepolis” has been withdrawn from the Bangkok Film Festival.

“The ambassador has requested that we reconsider the screening of 'Persepolis,' and since this could affect international relations, we have decided not to show the film,” stated Chattan Kunjara Na Ayutthaya of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. “It is a good movie in artistic terms, but we have to consider other issues that might arise if it is screened at the festival,” he noted. "Persepolis" was originally slated to be the opening film at the gala which commences on July 19. Now that the movie has been cancelled, the organizers will announce an alternative opening film next week. 'Persepolis' tells the autobiographical story of Satrapi when she was growing up in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution in the 1970s. Co-written and co-directed by Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, this animation won the Special Jury Prize (shared with “Still Light” by Carlos Reygados) in the Cannes Film Festival in 2007