The director said he did not ‘feel cutting off artistic conversations is ever a good way to help’ after Ukraine calls the film-maker’s participation a ‘disgrace’
Woody Allen has denied claims that his participation in a Moscow film festival was “whitewashing” Russian atrocities, after condemnation of his appearance by Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs.
Allen said in a statement to the Guardian: “When it comes to the conflict in Ukraine, I believe strongly that Vladimir Putin is totally in the wrong. The war he has caused is appalling. But, whatever politicians have done, I don’t feel cutting off artistic conversations is ever a good way to help.”
Allen had appeared on Sunday at Moscow international film week, via a remote link for a session hosted by film-maker Fyodor Bondarchuk, a long-term political ally of Putin and director of patriotic epics such as Stalingrad (2013) and the sci-fi film Attraction.
In a statement posted on social media, the ministry said: “Woody Allen’s participation in the Moscow international film week is a disgrace and an insult to the sacrifice of Ukrainian actors and film-makers who have been killed or injured by Russian war criminals in their ongoing war against Ukraine.”
