Woody Allen draws spotlight and criticism following videoconference at Moscow International Film Week

The 89-year-old filmmaker was pushed into the spotlight (and criticism) on Sunday, August 24, after a highly controversial videoconference appearance for a Moscow International Film Week event.

Woody Allen, ostracised from the film industry after being accused of sexual assault by his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow, spoke during an online discussion moderated by renowned Russian director and Putin supporter Fyodor Bondarchuk.

For the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the pain is hard to swallow. Kyiv considers this participation in the Moscow International Film Week "a disgrace and an insult to the sacrifice of Ukrainian actors and filmmakers who have been killed or injured by Russian war criminals." It also emphasises that the American filmmaker "chooses to turn a blind eye to the atrocities Russia is committing in Ukraine," not forgetting that "culture must never be used to whitewash crimes."

A shoot in Russia?

According to Ria Novosti, Allen would even consider filming on Russian soil if a similar proposal were submitted to him: "If such proposals existed, I would sit down and think about a scenario based on the well-being one can feel in Moscow and St. Petersburg."

While since 2022 (the start of the war), Ukraine has been encouraging the total isolation of its adversary, Russia, including in the worlds of sport and culture, the appearance of Western figures at events taking place in Russia is still vigorously denounced by the Ukrainian authorities, reports the media outlet 20 Minutes.

(MH with Olivia Stasse - Source : 20 Minutes - Picture : ©picture alliance / Geisler-Fotopress | Dave Bedrosian/Geisler-Fotopress)