The Government Information Office (GIO) expressed deep displeasure Thursday over a decision by the producer of the Mandarin-language film Miao Miao to withdraw it from the Melbourne film festival along with other Chinese films. Taiwan office of the Hong Kong-based Jet Tone Films, owned by noted director Wong Kar-wai, withdrew the movie from the Melbourne International Film Festival in protest against the festival's screening of a documentary about an exiled Uighur leader who has been branded by Beijing as a terrorist. GIO Minister Su Jun-pin said at a news briefing that he has lodged a strong protest with Jet Tone's Taiwan office over the decision to pull the film without notifying the GIO, which partially funded the movie's production. 'This action has tarnished Taiwan's international and human rights image,' Su said. According to Su, Jet Tone Films Taiwan had applied for and received a grant of NT$4 million (US$122,324) from the GIO for the production of Miao Miao, which meant that the film would be representative of Taiwan if it was entered in international film festivals. Miao Miao, a 2008 production, is a romantic comedy directed by Taiwanese Cheng Hsiao-tse, starring Taiwanese Ko Chia-yan, Sandrine Pinna (Chang Jung-jung) and Wing Fan. Su said the GIO has asked Jet Tone Films Taiwan to produce evidence to prove that it has stuck to the terms of its contract with the GIO regarding participation in international festivals, such as the Melbourne International Film Festival. Chinese films were withdrawn from the Melbourne festival July 26 after Beijing became unhappy with the Australian sponsor's decision to screen the documentary, The 10 Conditions of Love, about exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, who is accused of plotting Urumqi riots. The Melbourne festival is being held July 24-Aug. 9. Taiwan has two other short films, namely Joyce Agape and The Pursuit of What Was, which are on the list of films to be shown at the festival. 