Woody Allen made a speech at a Russian film festival. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry calls it a “disgrace and insult”
25 August 2025 17:25
American director and screenwriter Woody Allen took part in the Moscow International Film Week, which took place on August 24 in Russia. His online speech at the session “Legends of World Cinema” provoked a sharp reaction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Allen joined the event via video link, where he spoke about his attitude to Russian cinema in response to a question from Russian director Fyodor Bondarchuk. According to Russian propagandists, the filmmaker praised the Russian film industry and did not even rule out that he might visit the country again.
In particular, when asked whether he plans to shoot a movie in Russia, the director said:
“There was no such thing. It was a rumor, no one approached me. But if there were such proposals, I would sit down and think about what a script about feeling good in Moscow and St. Petersburg could be.”
At the same time, Allen emphasized that he currently has no specific plans to cooperate with the Russian film industry.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sharply criticized the director’s participation in the festival. The ministry said it was a “disgrace and insult” to Ukrainian actors, directors and other artists who have become victims of Russian aggression.
“By participating in a festival that brings together Putin’s supporters and mouthpieces, Allen is deliberately turning a blind eye to the atrocities that Russia has been committing in Ukraine every day for 11 years. Culture should never be used to whitewash crimes or serve as a tool of propaganda,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
As a reminder, Russia is actively using international cultural events as a tool of soft power and an attempt to legitimize its policy as it continues its war against Ukraine.
