American director Woody Allen took part in Moscow Film Festival. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called it "disgrace"
American director and screenwriter Woody Allen participated online in the Moscow International Film Week. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned this action.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"This is a disgrace and an insult to the Ukrainian actors and filmmakers who were killed or wounded by Russian war criminals during the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine. 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," the statement said.
Culture should never be used to whitewash crimes or serve as a propaganda tool, the Foreign Ministry emphasized.
On August 24, the 89-year-old American director, who is ignored in Hollywood, spoke at an event in Moscow via video link.
Pro-Russian media reported that Putin supporter Fyodor Bondarchuk moderated the discussion. Woody Allen was announced as the "guest of honor at Moscow International Film Week."
According to quotes published by Russian media, Allen praised Russian cinema and did not rule out the possibility of returning to Russia: "If such offers were made, I would sit down and think about what kind of script could be written about how good you feel in Moscow and St. Petersburg."
