Woody Allens Moscow Appearance Sparks Outrage from Ukraine Amid Ongoing Conflict

On Monday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry expressed its disapproval of American filmmaker Woody Allen for allegedly “whitewashing” Russia’s invasion in 2022, following his virtual appearance at a film festival organized by the Moscow Mayor’s Office.

In a Facebook post, the ministry labeled Allen’s involvement in the Moscow International Film Week as a “disgrace” and a “slight” to the Ukrainian actors and filmmakers who have been killed or injured due to the actions of Russian war criminals in their ongoing conflict against Ukraine.

The four-time Oscar winner participated as a guest of honor on Sunday, with Russian state media reporting that the event drew a large crowd.

During his talk, Allen lauded Soviet-era Russian cinema, specifically mentioning Sergei Bondarchuk’s 1965 film adaptation of “War and Peace,” which earned both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Bondarchuk was the father of Fyodor Bondarchuk, who moderated the discussion with Allen.

Allen indicated that he currently has no plans to film in Russia, but mentioned he would consider directing a piece that explores “the joy of being in Moscow and St. Petersburg” if presented with such an opportunity, as reported by Kommersant.

The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine criticized Allen for allegedly “choosing to ignore” the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion in 2022.

“Culture should never be exploited to conceal crimes or act as a tool for propaganda. We strongly denounce Woody Allen’s choice to lend his voice to Moscow’s bloody festival,” the ministry stated.

An accompanying image contrasted Allen’s signature round glasses blurred against the backdrop of Ukrainian buildings devastated by bombings.

Allen later addressed Ukraine’s accusations in a statement to The Guardian, affirming his belief that “Vladimir Putin is completely in the wrong.”

“The war he has instigated is horrific. However, regardless of the actions of politicians, I believe that severing artistic dialogues is not a constructive way to assist,” the director remarked.