Woody Allen issues statement denying retirement from filmmaking

Washington: Multiple Academy Award-winning director Woody Allen has denied reports regarding his retirement from filmmaking that surfaced recently.

According to Variety, recently while working on his 50th film in Europe, Allen told a Spanish newspaper that he intends to retire from making movies and dedicate more time to writing during his twilight years. He had said, "My idea, in principle, is not to make more movies and focus on writing."

On Monday, the 86-year-old director issued a statement clarifying what he meant.
It read, "Woody Allen never said he was retiring, not did he say he was writing another novel. He said he was thinking about not making films as making films that go straight or very quickly to streaming platforms is not so enjoyable for him, as he is a great lover of the cinema experience. Currently, he has no intention of retiring and is very excited to be in Paris shooting his new movie, which will be the 50th."

This wasn't the first time Allen has discussed stepping back from the movie business. In a conversation with Alec Baldwin live-streamed on Instagram in June, the filmmaker said he plans to direct "one or two more" films, but also said "the thrill is gone" because of the decline of the theatrical experience, as per Deadline.

Meanwhile, the veteran filmmaker has been filming more often in Europe as his support in the U.S. has plunged following the abuse accusations against him. He opened the San Sebastian Film Festival in 2022 with 'Rifkin's Festival', a movie shot in and around the tony city of San Sebastian. (ANI)