Cannes festival organisers are facing further scrutiny amid new claims a film producer with a partially amputated foot was turned away from the red carpet for not wearing high heels.
Danish film producer Valeria Richter has revealed she was stopped four times and told 'no, no, no, this won't work, you can't get in like this' as she tried to make her way to a film premiere.
Astonishingly, officials scrutinised her footwear despite the fact part of her left foot is amputated and she is unable to keep her balance in heels.
Continue reading after the cut....
This year's event has been marred by accusations of sexism after reports emerged that women were being denied entry to events because of their shoes.
Richter told BBC 5 Live she was separately questioned by four different officials as she attempted to make her way to the screening of Gus Van Sant's The Sea of Trees.
'They just pointed their finger at my shoe, and just waving their finger, said: "No, no, no, this won't work, you can't get in like this", so obviously it was my shoes,' she said.
Eventually she was allowed into the movie screening, but claimed many of her colleagues not wearing heels were rejected and not allowed in.
'Obviously I could show [the amputation] off to the officials and that would make the situation a little awkward for them, because they could see that I maybe couldn't wear heels and I had a reasonable explanation.
'But many of my colleagues who just can't wear heels, some of them were rejected and could not come in.'
British actress Emily Blunt has been at the forefront of criticism directed at Cannes Film Festival organisers after it emerged women not wearing high heels were being denied entry to screenings.
The row erupted when it was revealed several women in their 50s, some with medical conditions, were barred from entering the screening of the lesbian romance Carol starring Cate Blanchett.
After initial reports surfaced of the so-called heels policy, many others in attendance at the glamorous festival revealed they had experienced similar treatment.
This included British filmmaker Asif Kapadia, the director of the Amy Winehouse film Amy, who tweeted that his wife had problems gaining entry, but was eventually allowed in.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Blunt said news of women being denied entry was 'very disappointing'.
She said: 'Everyone should wear flats, to be honest. We shouldn't wear high heels anyway, that's my point of view.
'You kind of think that there's these new waves of equality and waves of people realising that women are just as fascinating and interesting to watch, and bankable.'
Denis Villeneuve, the director of Sicario in which Emily Blunt stars, was also planning his own protest, jokingly telling a press conference that he, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin would walk the steps in high heels.
Festival organisers have since moved to deny claims high heels are obligatory, with director Thierry Fremaux tweeting that rumours women must wear heels on the steps are 'unfounded'.
A spokesperson told the BBC: 'Rules have not changed throughout the years (tuxedo, formal dress for gala screenings) and there is no specific mention about the height of the women's heels as well as for men's.'
Screen wrote that a group of women in their 50s, some of which were suffering medical conditions, were denied access to the film Carol because they were wearing rhinestone flats.
A source told the outlet: 'I’ve heard this happening several times now, even to older women who can’t wear heels for medical reasons. It’s b*******.
'Someone I know was turned away for wearing nice flats, nothing you would wear to the beach. They told her she could go and buy appropriate shoes and come back.'
Ironically, the controversy comes as the subject of women in film is discussed avidly at the festival.
Over the past year, numerous high-profile women in film have publicly addressed the gender gap in cinema, urging it to be narrowed and to provide more women with opportunities both on and behind the camera.
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Danish film producer Valeria Richter has revealed she was stopped four times and told 'no, no, no, this won't work, you can't get in like this' as she tried to make her way to a film premiere.
Astonishingly, officials scrutinised her footwear despite the fact part of her left foot is amputated and she is unable to keep her balance in heels.
Continue reading after the cut....
This year's event has been marred by accusations of sexism after reports emerged that women were being denied entry to events because of their shoes.
Richter told BBC 5 Live she was separately questioned by four different officials as she attempted to make her way to the screening of Gus Van Sant's The Sea of Trees.
'They just pointed their finger at my shoe, and just waving their finger, said: "No, no, no, this won't work, you can't get in like this", so obviously it was my shoes,' she said.
Eventually she was allowed into the movie screening, but claimed many of her colleagues not wearing heels were rejected and not allowed in.
'Obviously I could show [the amputation] off to the officials and that would make the situation a little awkward for them, because they could see that I maybe couldn't wear heels and I had a reasonable explanation.
'But many of my colleagues who just can't wear heels, some of them were rejected and could not come in.'
British actress Emily Blunt has been at the forefront of criticism directed at Cannes Film Festival organisers after it emerged women not wearing high heels were being denied entry to screenings.
The row erupted when it was revealed several women in their 50s, some with medical conditions, were barred from entering the screening of the lesbian romance Carol starring Cate Blanchett.
After initial reports surfaced of the so-called heels policy, many others in attendance at the glamorous festival revealed they had experienced similar treatment.
This included British filmmaker Asif Kapadia, the director of the Amy Winehouse film Amy, who tweeted that his wife had problems gaining entry, but was eventually allowed in.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Blunt said news of women being denied entry was 'very disappointing'.
She said: 'Everyone should wear flats, to be honest. We shouldn't wear high heels anyway, that's my point of view.
'You kind of think that there's these new waves of equality and waves of people realising that women are just as fascinating and interesting to watch, and bankable.'
Denis Villeneuve, the director of Sicario in which Emily Blunt stars, was also planning his own protest, jokingly telling a press conference that he, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin would walk the steps in high heels.
Festival organisers have since moved to deny claims high heels are obligatory, with director Thierry Fremaux tweeting that rumours women must wear heels on the steps are 'unfounded'.
A spokesperson told the BBC: 'Rules have not changed throughout the years (tuxedo, formal dress for gala screenings) and there is no specific mention about the height of the women's heels as well as for men's.'
Screen wrote that a group of women in their 50s, some of which were suffering medical conditions, were denied access to the film Carol because they were wearing rhinestone flats.
A source told the outlet: 'I’ve heard this happening several times now, even to older women who can’t wear heels for medical reasons. It’s b*******.
'Someone I know was turned away for wearing nice flats, nothing you would wear to the beach. They told her she could go and buy appropriate shoes and come back.'
Ironically, the controversy comes as the subject of women in film is discussed avidly at the festival.
Over the past year, numerous high-profile women in film have publicly addressed the gender gap in cinema, urging it to be narrowed and to provide more women with opportunities both on and behind the camera.
Drop a comment..thanks!
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