Woody Allen sparks retirement rumors, calls cancel culture 'silly'
Woody Allen made a notable appearance at the ongoing Venice Film Festival for the premiere of his 50th feature film, titled Coup de Chance. In a recent interview, the 87-year-old filmmaker hinted that this movie might be his last venture, fueling retirement rumors. The director, renowned for Manhattan and Annie Hall, also extensively talked about his perspective on cancel culture—which he described as "silly."
Why does this story matter?
Allen's contributions to cinema are undeniable testaments to his artistic genius, and he has garnered numerous accolades, including an impressive 16 Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay. However, his career has also been marked by controversy. In 1992, the filmmaker faced allegations of sexual assault from his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, who was seven at the time. Allen has consistently denied these accusations.
'I don't know what it means to be canceled'
In an interview with Variety, when the director was asked about cancel culture, he shared, "If you're going to be canceled, this is the culture to be canceled by." "I don't know what it means to be canceled," Allen added, further stating, "I know that over the years everything has been the same for me...The difference is the way they present the films."
Here's why Allen doesn't want to make new films
"Making the movie is one thing, but raising the money for it is tedious," stated Allen when he was asked whether he was thinking of making another film. Allen also suggested that at 87, he's not sure he still wants to hustle to secure backing for a new film. "I have so many ideas for films...if it was easy to finance," the filmmaker added.
'No merit to these charges,' Allen addressed assault allegations
In response to the question asked regarding the 2021 docu-series Allen v. Farrow—which featured his daughter detailing allegations of sexual abuse—the filmmaker said, "There was no merit to these charges...exactly as I wrote in my book, Apropos of Nothing." He further expressed bewilderment and stated, "The fact that it lingers on makes me think that maybe people like the idea that it lingers on."
