MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. Attempts to politicize the speech of American filmmaker Woody Allen at the Moscow International Film Week are a distortion of reality by some politicians and media outlets, US producer and president of the Doors to Hollywood company Bob Van Ronkel told TASS.

"Woody Allen is doing such a great cultural thing for the country by speaking, by being close, you know, giving back to audiences all over the world. And in this case, giving back to audiences in Russia that have followed him, watched his movies, watched his directing and love him. And the guy is taking the time, giving his heart to speak to those fans. And then people have to step in the way of politics and the media and try to make it look like it's something other than what it is. Trying to make it look like he's doing something positively political for Russia when all he is doing is something cultural for fans around the world," Van Ronkel said.

"To be honest, a lot of the blame I put on America because America has been pushing Russia for years in a way they should not," the producer stressed. "They've looked at Russia as being our evil enemy when Russia could be our best friend," he continued.

Art should not be used as a tool in the geopolitical standoff, Van Ronkel said. "I think politics shouldn't play any part in art, in culture. I mean, I'm sure there are cultural things that people may do or have to do with politics, but that's not what I'm involved in. I have nothing to do with politics," he added.

Allen took part online on August 24 in a session of the World Cinema Legends held as part of the Moscow International Film Week.