Cannes: The director of the Cannes Film Festival has apologised after a controversy blew up over women being denied access to the red carpet for not wearing high heels. "We apologise," said Thierry Fremaux at a dinner at the famed Carlton hotel on Tuesday night.
But he sought to downplay the controversy that blew up on social media after reports that security guards had turned away females guests for wearing flats at a screening of "Carol" starring Cate Blanchett. "There was perhaps a small moment of over-zealousness," he said, apparently referring to the security guards.
The story, first reported by trade magazine Screen International, sparked hundreds of angry tweets and was described by actress Emily Blunt as "very disappointing". "Everyone should wear flats to be honest. We shouldn't wear high heels anyway," said Blunt at a press conference for her new film "Sicario".
The Canadian director of "Sicario", Denis Villeneuve, joked that he and the film's co-stars, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, would "walk the stairs in high heels" later Tuesday in solidarity at the red-carpet premiere. Sadly, the trio didn't.
The festival issued a statement Tuesday in which it denied there was any official diktat on female footwear. "Regarding the dress code for the red carpet screenings, 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," the statement said.
There was further confusion because Screen International said it was initially directed to a press spokesperson who told the magazine that high heels were "obligatory". Festival organisers later told the magazine that the spokesperson was misinformed.
Here's what Twitteratis had to say.
Ushers at Cannes have now been "reminded" that the height of women's heels at premieres are not part of the official dress code #heelgate
— Jack Malvern (@jackmalvern) May 19, 2015hope someone sues the pants off #Cannes2015 for #heelgate. some of the most powerful women in the world there. show some gumption
— Gayatri Jayaraman (@Gayatri__J) May 20, 2015#heelgate Cate Blanchett just told me that if she'd known women were banned from Carol premiere coz wearing flats, she'd have worn sneakers.
— Kathy Lette (@KathyLette) May 20, 2015Let's make men wear stilettos on the red carpet too. Then rules will change. #heelgate
— Florence Williams (@flowill) May 19, 2015What's so ironic is that #Cannes is "honoring women" or some such thing this year. Lipservice. #heelgate
— lizadonnelly (@lizadonnelly) May 19, 2015
