The star-studded Cannes Film Festival has found itself in hot water after reportedly turning away female attendees for the film Carol (ironically, a film full of feminist topics) wearing flats instead of heels on the red carpet. Many actors have spoken out against this archaic standard, most notably Emily Blunt during a press conference for her new film, Sicaro, in which she plays a badass FBI agent.
“That’s very disappointing,” Blunt said when questioned about the supposed policy. “We shouldn’t wear high heels, anyway. I prefer wearing Converse sneakers.” She noted that it was especially disappointing considering the increased presence of women in films like her own: “You kind of think that there’s these new waves of equality, waves of people realizing that women are just as fascinating and interesting to watch and bankable.”
Cannes has since released a statement regarding the somewhat misleading red carpet policing: “There is no specific mention about the height of the women’s heels as well as for men’s [shoes]” in the dress code, they explained to Screendaily.com. Regardless, women were turned away on account of their footwear, allegedly mostly older women with medical issues that prevented them from wearing heels.
This controversy is just the latest in a trend of women speaking out against sexism at Cannes this year. Actresses Parker Posey and Salma Hayek have both made statements at a summit this past weekend, including Hayek’s eloquent summation that ““Cinema undermines women’s intelligence.”
We here at BUST support Blunt’s impassioned stand against Cannes’ outdated and gendered standards for women, and applaud any attendees who are speaking up about the discrimination. It’s hard enough for women to get to the festival for a film with quality female roles- there doesn’t need to be any additional prejudice once they are on the red carpet.
Image via Tristan Fewings/Getty Images
