Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi banned from Venice film festival

'An attack on art' ... Juliette Binoche protests against the imprisonment of Iranian director Jafar Panahi earlier this year. Photograph: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
The Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi has been denied the right to attend this year's Venice international film festival. Due to open the short film section of the festival with The Accordion, his request was refused by officials in Tehran.