Five years after the film was released, producer George Stevens Jr. helped organize a showing of this, along with other Kramer films, at the Moscow Film Festival, which Kramer and co-star Sidney Poitier attended. Stevens writes that the showings of his films, especially "The Defiant Ones", were a "great success in Moscow." He remembers that "filmmakers applauded his films, often chanting "Kraaaamer, Kraaaaamer, Kraaaaamer"," at their conclusion. Kramer spoke to the audience after each film, "making a fine impression for his country." Stevens credits "The Defiant Ones" for having the most impact, however: