Protest, Glamour and Drama: 11 Snapshots From the Cannes Red Carpet

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Yes, there was fashion. But what stood out at the 71st Cannes Film Festival were the various demonstrations: on behalf of women, Gaza, Brazilian Indians, racial equality and more.

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Eighty-two women working in the film industry protested on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet last Saturday in a statement on how few films directed by women have been prize contenders at Cannes since 1946 (the number is 82 movies, compared to 1,645 movies directed by male directors).

The group included Cate Blanchett, the president of the festival jury this year, as well as other members of the jury: the actresses Kristen Stewart and Léa Seydoux, the filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and the singer Khadja Nin.

“Women are not a minority in the world, and yet our industry says the opposite,” said Agnes Varda, a French filmmaker, of the protesters’ concerns. “We want this to change.”

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A group of black actresses, all dressed in Balmain, demonstrated against racism in the French film industry. The 16 women, who together wrote a book about their experiences called “Black Is Not My Job,” were joined on the carpet by Ms. Nin, center, a singer and a member of the festival’s jury.

In the book, according to Le Monde, Nadège Beausson-Diagne recalls a time when she was asked if she spoke “African,” and Aïssa Maïga denounces the slow pace of change in the industry.

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Winnie Harlow, a model and the winner of Season 21 of “America’s Next Top Model,” had a shimmering moment on her way to the screening of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” on Tuesday. As Ms. Harlow ascended the stairs, her dress spread out over several steps and billowed dramatically in the breeze.

Cate Blanchett at the premiere of the film “Cold War.”CreditJoel C. Ryan/Invision, via Associated Press

At the premiere of “Cold War,” Cate Blanchett wore a dress by the Greek designer Mary Katrantzou that took six months to make. Ms. Katrantzou told Vogue that Ms. Blanchett had been inspired by her spring 2018 runway show, and the two came up with a piece that pulled from different elements of the collection.

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The cast and crew of “The Dead and the Other,” a film about the indigenous Kraho people of northern Brazil, held up placards protesting the treatment of Brazil’s Indians.

According to government data, there are about 900,000 Indians in Brazil (down from the estimated 3 to 5 million who lived in the country when settlers arrived in 1500), and 12.5 percent of the nation’s land belongs to them. Last year, the government made changes to the way land was demarcated for indigenous use, a move that activists worried would benefit large landowners rather than the country’s native population.

“The Dead and the Other” tracks the filmmakers’ experience living and collaborating with the Kraho people for nine months. It was shown in the Un Certain Regard category.

Diane Kruger at the screening of “Sink Or Swim (Le Grand Bain).”CreditMatthias Nareyek/Getty Images

At the screening of “Sink Or Swim (Le Grand Bain),” Diane Kruger, who won the best actress award at the festival last year, delivered old-school glamour in a sweeping dress by Armani Privé. Ms. Kruger sees the potential of Cannes to set an example for other similar events. “I think the festival is actively trying to set an example for the film industry and for other festivals,” Ms. Kruger told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s all about creating opportunities and awareness. The whole #MeToo movement has started that and we have to be vigilant with following up, and it definitely feels like the door is opening.”

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Though the dress code for Cannes is vaguely defined as black tie and evening wear, guests have complained about the enforcement of it by various monitors, saying that there is an effective ban on flat shoes for women. Kristen Stewart may have been silently protesting the unwritten rule when she took off her stilettos after posing for photographs. Or maybe her feet were just hurting.

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At the premiere of “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” Thandie Newton wore a custom gown by Vivienne Westwood that was printed with images of Star Wars figurines from Ms. Newton’s personal collection. All of them are franchise characters that were portrayed by black actors, including Samuel L. Jackson in the role of Mace Windu and John Boyega as Finn.

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On the red carpet for the premiere of his film, “BlacKkKlansman,” about an African-American police officer who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s, Spike Lee wore a shirt, cap and sneakers with his film’s branding. At the news conference for his movie, which received a standing ovation, Mr. Lee accused President Donald J. Trump of exacerbating racial tensions. “This film to me is a wake-up call,” Mr. Lee said. “Stuff is happening, and it’s topsy-turvy, and fake has been trumpeted as the truth.”

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Isabelle Huppert brought an edgy cool to the screening of “Sink or Swim (Le Grand Bain)” with an Yves Saint Laurent sequined tuxedo jacket and fringed skirt. Ms. Huppert was the president of the festival’s jury in 2009.

CreditVianney Le Caer/Invision, via Associated Press

Filmmakers and actors observed a minute of silence on May 15 to honor the 60 Palestinian demonstrators who were killed by the Israeli forces last Monday by the border fence between Gaza and Israel. On the red carpet for the premiere of “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” Manal Issa, an actress, held up a sign in protest.





Source : Nytimes