Iran has blasted the Cannes screening of Persepolis, which presents a distorted image of the country in the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

A letter of protest was sent to the French Embassy in Tehran by the Iran Farabi Foundation, a government-affiliated body in charge of festivals in Iran.

"This year, the Cannes Film Festival, in an unconventional and unsuitable act, has chosen a movie about Iran that has presented an unrealistic face of the achievements and results of the glorious Islamic Revolution in some of its parts," part of the letter read, according to AP.

The letter said the inclusion of the film would damage the reputation of the festival. Cannes organizers said they had no immediate comment.

The animation film Persepolis by Marjan Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud has been adapted from a novel by the same name. The black-and-white animated feature recounts Satrapi's experiences growing up in Iran during the post-revolution years.

The film is competing for the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or, and has its official screening on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, the American movie 300 angered Iranians who said the Greeks-vs-Persians action flick insults their ancient culture and provokes animosity against Iran. The film was seen as an attack on Persian history, a source of pride for Iranians all over the world.

HA/BGH