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 event- 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 organised 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 expressed 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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