The writer-director rolled out his latest,Coup de Chance, at the Venice International Film Festival on Monday. His wifeSoon-Yi Previn, 52, and their kids Bechet, 24, and Manzie, 23, walked the red carpet with Allen, 87, prior to the screening.

Earlier on Monday, Allen spoke at a press conference, where he mentioned his family and said he considers himself “very lucky.”

“I was lucky my whole life really. I had two loving parents, I have good friends. I have a wonderful wife and marriage, two children,” he said.

Allen’s wife Soon-Yi isMia Farrow’s daughter, whom she welcomed via adoption with ex-husband André Previn. While Allen was in a relationship with Mia,he began an affair with Soon-Yithat culminated in his breakup with Farrow in the early 1990s.

TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty

Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn along with Bechet Allen and Manzie Allen

Dylan Farrow, whom Mia and Allen welcomed via adoption,previously accused Allen of sexually abusing heras a child, which he has denied. In an interview withVarietypublished Monday, Allensaid the claims have “no merit.”

Asked whether Allen has seen either Dylan or her brotherRonan Farrowin recent years, Allen responded: “No. Always willing to but no, no….”

Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn.Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

In the 2021 HBO docuseriesAllen v. Farrow— whichAllen and Soon-Yi spoke out againstat the time — Mia, now 78, said inviting Allen into her family was “the greatest regret of my life.” The actress also saidAllen “weaponized” two of her children, Soon-Yi and Moses, and “turned [them] against me.”

Mia added of her estranged daughter at the time, “I love Soon-Yi. It took me six years to throw away the Christmas stocking I knitted for her thinking she would come back, but she didn’t.”

Dylan, 38, toldEllein 2021 that “Idon’t feel like I have a father” and joked about Allen’s relationship with Soon-Yi: “There’s no support group for people whose sisters marry their fathers. Or is he my brother-in-law? And is she my stepmom? I’ve got to joke about it.”

Varietyreportedthat Allen got a standing ovation after theCoup de Chancepremiere, and that there was a group of protesters outside the event who distributed flyers that read “turn the spotlight off of rapists.”

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Woody Allen.Kristy Sparow/FilmMagic

Woody Allen

Kristy Sparow/FilmMagic

Alberto Barbera, the Venice Film Festival artistic director, recently defended the decision to include controversial figures like Allen andRoman Polanskiin this year’s lineup.

“I’m not a judge who is asked to make a judgment about the bad behavior of someone. I’m a film critic, my job is judging the quality of his films. But of course, it’s a very difficult situation,” Barbera toldThe Guardian, adding, “I discussed the issue with all my collaborators and colleagues. We knew that we would face attacks and insults. But this is the moment we’re living in, there is a special kind of sensibility about these issues.”

source: people.com