Cate Blanchett and legendary French director Agnes Varda brought a poignant protest to the Cannes red carpet last night, where they were joined by 80 other women working in the film industry to stand up for equal pay and better representation in their field of work and in all others, and to stand in solidarity against the sexual abuse scandals that have engulfed Hollywood in past months.
Blanchett and Varda were joined by the likes of Kristen Stewart, Salma Hayek, Marion Cotillard, A Wrinkle In Time director Ava DuVernay and _Wonder Woma_n director Patty Jenkins, at the first protest of its kind to hit Cannes. The number of protestors – 82 – was particularly significant, standing for the 82 female directors whose films have been selected to feature in official competition at the festival in over seven decades. For comparison, 1,645 have held that same honour in the same time period.
All 82 women slowly walked up the red-carpeted steps of the Grand Theatre Lumiere, a representation of just how hard it can be to climb up the ladder as a woman working in film, before standing in silence to face Cannes’ Grand Palais. The timing, too, was also significant, with the protest taking place ahead of the premiere of Girls of the Sun, the only film in this year’s competition which has been directed by a French female director, Eva Husson. A statement was then read out by Blanchett (in English) and by Varda (in French).
‘Women are not a minority in the world, yet the current state of our industry says otherwise,’ they said. ‘As women, we all face our own unique challenges, but we stand together on these steps today as a symbol of our determination and our commitment to progress. We are writers, we are producers, we are directors, actresses, cinematographers, talent agents, editors, distributors, sales agents, and all of us are involved in the cinematic arts. And we stand today in solidarity with women of all industries.’
The statement went on to ask for ‘parity and transparency’ in the film industry’s executive bodies, and to demand ‘safe environments in which to work.’
‘We expect our governments to make sure that the laws of equal pay for equal work are upheld,’ they continued. ‘We demand that our workplaces are diverse and equitable so that they can best reflect the world in which we actually live. A world that allows all of us in front and behind the camera, all of us, to thrive shoulder to shoulder with our male colleagues.’
‘’The stairs of our industry must be accessible to all,’ concluded Varda. Her rallying call? ‘Let’s climb.'
Cannes Film Festival red carpet 2018 - Grazia
1 of 25Lea Seydoux
Lea Seydoux stuck to her French roots wearing a stunning sheer dress from fashion house Louis Vuitton for the Cannes Opening Ceremony. Featuring a sheer fringed skirt, one-shoulder halterneck detail and silver waist belt, it was heavenly enough to have been appropriate at the Met Gala over in New York, too.
2 of 25Lea Seydoux
Seydoux channelled movie stars from Hollywood's Golden Age with soft finger waves, a cats-eye and doe-eyed makeup.
3 of 25Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett aced the Green Carpet Challenge for the festival's Opening Ceremony, rewearing a black lace Armani Prive gown from 2016. We can see why she would want to get this one back out of her closet - with its exquisite open back details, high neck and just-sheer-enough lace, it's a real head-turner (and proved lucky for her back at the 2016 Golden Globes too, where she won Best Actress for Blue Jasmine).
4 of 25Lea Seydoux
Our forever style crush Chloe Sevingy and this strapless Chanel gown are a perfect match: who else could pull off the pleated fan bodice and contrasting metallic detail on the body of the dress so effortlessly?
5 of 25Chloe Sevingy
Makeup-wise, Sevingy kept her look simple, complementing the metallic details of her dress with silver eyeshadow and a nude lip, tucking her hair behind her ears to showcase her diamond earrings.
6 of 25Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart rocks a hybrid victory roll, Marcel waves hair style, which she's teamed with a bold smoky eye.
7 of 25Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem
Off-screen couple and on-screen co-stars in the festival's opening film, Everybody Knows, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem ruled the red carpet in matching black looks. Cruz chose a vintage tulle-trim Chanel gown which she accessorised with a piece from her new Atelier Swarovski collection.
8 of 25Penelope Cruz
Penelope Cruz gives us a masterclass in how to do the modern smoky eye, using her kohl eyeliner sparingly above and below the lash line, with metallic grey eyeshadow and a single coat of mascara.
9 of 25Julianne Moore
We can't remember ever not loving something worn by Julianne Moore, and this red column dress with floor-length cape just screams 'Queen'.
10 of 25Georgia May Jagger
Georgia May Jagger stuck to a tried-and-tested red carpet formula and wore a slinky LBD with thigh-grazing split.
11 of 25Penelope Cruz
Penelope Cruz brought glamour to the Everybody Knows photocall, choosing a black lace halterneck dress with asymmetric hem and sweetheart neckline.
12 of 25Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett got the same pastel memo as Stewart, opting for a pale pink suit and matching shades.
13 of 25Kristen Stewart and Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett and Kristen Stewart doubled their star power in coordinating trouser suits and shades.
14 of 25Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart proved why she's such a good ambassador for Karl Lagerfeld, oozing Riviera chic in a cornflower blue suit.
15 of 25Cate Blanchett, Kristen Stewart, Lea Seydoux, Ava DeVernay and Khadja Nin
The collective power of the women on the Cannes jury - Cate Blanchett, Kristen Stewart, Lea Seydoux, Ava DeVernay and Khadja Nin - was enough to distract the fashion set's focus from the Met Ball yesterday.
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16 of 25Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard defied the Cannes dress code by forgoing high heels. The actress wore a pair of knee-high lace-up Nicholas Kirkwood boots while promoting upcoming spy caper 355
17 of 25Bella Hadid
Fresh from the Met Gala's red carpet, Bella Hadid was in Cannes to promote Alexander Wang's collaboration with Magnum so obviously wore the aforementioned designer.
18 of 25Irina Shayk
Last year Bella Hadid may have reached new red carpet heights with her pelvis-skimming dress but Irina Shayk's Versace gown proved this Angel is in the game too.
19 of 25Josephine Skriver
Trust Giambattista Valli and Chopard to deliver a jaw-dropping ensemble and Josephine Skriver to model it with aplomb.
20 of 25Amber Heard
Amber Heard stuns in a backless Valentino gown.
21 of 25Carey Mullgian
Carey Mulligan played it simple with a Dior dress to discuss the lack of representation of complex female characters in film. She bemoaned that woman are not, 'allowed to fail on screen'.
22 of 25Stella Maxwell
Victoria's Secret model Stella Maxwell attended the Sorry Angel premiere in a silver Roberto Cavalli gown with a keyhole back.
23 of 25Lupita Nyong'o
Lupita Nyong'o looked ethereal in a ruffled Dior dress at the Sorry Angel premiere.
24 of 25Cate Blanchett
As Jury President, Cate Blanchett's glorious Mary Katrantzou dress lent a glamorous note to the screening of Cold War.
25 of 25Leomie Anderson
Leomie Anderson brightened up the red carpet with this lemon confection from Twinset.