Iranian Actress Leila Hatami Apologizes For Kissing Cannes Film Festival's President

Iranian actress Leila Hatami apologized for kissing the Cannes film festival's president, on the cheek. an act which angered authorities in the Islamic Republic, the News Agency IRNA reported. " I am so sorry for hurting the feelings of some people, " she wrote in a letter to Iran's cinema organization.

She underlines her respect for Islamic rules of behaviour in public, but festival president Gelles Jacob, 83, "had forgotten the aforementioned rules with comes with old age. "My pre-emptive action of hand shaking was fruitless" Hatami wrote explaining the kiss. "Although I am embarrassed to give these explanations, I had no choice but to go into details for those who could not understand the inevitable situation I was stuck in" she said. " In my eyes he is certainly like an old grandfather who was also my host"

A photograph carried by Irani media showed Hatami kissing Jacob at the opening of the festival earlier this month, prompting reprimand. "Those who attend international events should take heed of the credibility and chastity of Iranians, so that a bad image of Iranian women will not be demonstrated to the world" Irani Culture Minister Hussain said. He said Hatami's "inappropriate presence" at the festival was not in line with our beliefs". A group of female Islamist students are seeking a legal action against Hatami calling for her to be sentenced to jail term and lashed. Born in family with back ground in cinema, Hatami gained worldwide fame for her role in Asghar Farhadi's film "A Separation" that won 2012 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. She was on the jury this year at the annual Cannes festival in Southern France but lives in Iran.