In Kyiv, the Young Theater announced the suspension of performances of Woody Allen’s play “Riverside Drive” after the director participated in the Moscow International Film Week, which took place in the Russian Federation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Reasons for the Cancellation
The theater administration reported that the performance scheduled for September 18, 2025, will not take place. The decision was made due to Woody Allen’s participation in a professional event in the territory of the aggressor state. The theater emphasized that culture should not serve as a cover for crimes and condemned the actions of the American director.
“We condemn the participation of American director Woody Allen in the Moscow International Film Week. Culture cannot be a cover for crimes,” the theater administration explained on Facebook.
Reaction to Allen’s Participation in the Event in Russia
On August 25, Woody Allen appeared at the Moscow International Film Week via video link during a session with Fyodor Bondarchuk, who is considered a supporter of the Kremlin. During the broadcast, Allen expressed admiration for Russian cinema, recalled Sergei Bondarchuk’s “War and Peace,” and noted that he would theoretically agree to shoot a film in Russia if he received such an offer.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sharply criticized the director’s participation in the event, calling it a “shame and an insult” to Ukrainian actors and filmmakers who have become victims of Russian aggression.