Shabana Speaks Up Against The No-flats Policy Of Cannes

The senior actress is appalled that the film festival has made it obligatory for women to wear heels on the red carpet

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Shabana Speaks Up Against The No-flats Policy Of Cannes

Shabana Azmi has expressed her resentment towards the Cannes Red Carpet dress code, which makes it obligatory for women to wear heels.

Amy  director Asif Kapadia may have got a thunderous applause for his documentary on Amy Winehouse, but his wife had a rough time entering the do. He tweeted that she was turned away from the Cannes Red Carpet for not wearing heels but was eventually let in when she introduced herself as Asif’s wife.



“Am I not supposed to attend the premiere of my film if I cant wear heels?” retorts Shabana, adding, So many women across age groups have several physical constraints that disallow them from wearing heels. So, is a premier film festival going to turn every one of them away from stepping on to the red carpet? Im appalled.

Even at the premiere of Cate Blanchetts film Carol, numerous members of film companies and at least one woman, who wore flats for medical reasons, were turned away for not wearing heels.

When film producer and scriptwriter Valeria Richter attended Gus Van Sants Sea Of Trees premiere wearing flats, she was reprimanded. This, despite the fact that she has had a limb amputation.



What kind of policies are these that dont allow women to dress up the way they are comfortable in? I dont know of another festival that puts such conditions on women. I can understand that a certain degree of formality is required at an event but that should not have anything to do with the height of the heels a lady wears, rues Shabana.  

The no-flats policy has now come under fire. Actress Emily Blunt and director Denis Villeneuve have spoken to the media that everyone, including men should wear flats in retaliation to this rule.

Following the public outcry, Theirry Fremaux, the festivals current president, tweeted that the idea that women must wear heels on the red carpet is unfounded. She has even pointed to the festivals official website stating that the dress code nowhere specifies the height of a womans shoes at the red carpet.

Im aware the festival president has issued a statement that there is no precise rule about the heels that a lady guest must wear. But I think if incidents like Asifs wifes ouster have happened year on year, there must be some truth to the claims, no? Shabana says rhetorically.

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