Ukraine Criticizes Woody Allen for Speaking at Moscow Film Week

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Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry on Monday criticized American filmmaker Woody Allen for “whitewashing” Russia’s 2022 invasion after he spoke virtually at a film festival organized

“Woody Allen’s participation in the Moscow International Film Week is a disgrace and an insult to the sacrifice of Ukrainian actors and filmmakers who have been killed or injured

The four-time Oscar-winning director appeared virtually as the guest of honor on Sunday, with Russian state media reporting a packed audience.

Allen praised Soviet-era Russian cinema, highlighting Sergei Bondarchuk’s 1965 adaptation of “War and Peace,” which won an Oscar and Golden Globe for best foreign-language film. Bondarchuk is the late father of Fyodor Bondarchuk, who hosted the talk with Allen.

The American director said he had no immediate plans to shoot a film in Russia but would consider directing a feature about “how good it feels to be in Moscow and St. Petersburg” if offered, according to Kommersant.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry accused Allen of “choosing to turn a blind eye” to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 full-scale invasion.

“Culture must never be used to whitewash crimes or serve as a propaganda tool. We strongly condemn Woody Allen’s decision to bless Moscow’s bloody festival with his address,” the ministry added in its statement.

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