Overview

• Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called Allen’s participation “a shame and an insult” to Ukrainian victims and warned against using culture to whitewash crimes.
• Allen joined the Moscow Film Festival remotely for a “Legends of World Cinema” event and steered clear of political remarks during the session.
• The discussion was moderated by Fyodor Bondarchuk, a Kremlin‑aligned director who has been sanctioned by Western governments for supporting the invasion.
• Reports noted the festival receives support from the Moscow city administration and several Russian state media outlets.
• In comments to CNN reported later, Allen defended taking part, condemned Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, and argued against cutting artistic dialogue.