A female security guard manning the Cannes Film Festival red carpet has sparked outrage following her seemingly shabby treatment towards certain stars and clashing with them.
Actresses including Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland, Korean actress Yoona, and Dominican actor Massiel Taveras have all faced her shoddy behavior at work, where she makes it her business to block them from waving to fans or being photographed.
Fans of the actors are demanding that the guard be fired from her job.
Many online noted that all of the people being rushed through the carpet were women of color, leading some to make claims of discrimination.
Actors, who were rudely handled by her, have also spoken up about the incident.
In a video posted last week, Kelly Rowland, 43, was seen scolding the guard and having a heated interaction. Rowland claimed that the other women on the carpet who “did not look quite like me” were treated better.
“The woman knows what happened; I know what happened,” Rowland told AP Entertainment. “I have a boundary, and I stand by those boundaries, and that is it. And there were other women who attended that carpet who did not look quite like me.
“And they didn’t get scolded, or pushed off, or told to get off. And I stood my ground, and she felt like she had to stand hers. But I stood my ground.”
In footage, Rowland was spotted reprimanding the security guard when she tried to usher her into the venue, away from the red carpet. The guard was also seen placing her hand close to Rowland’s back, prompting the singer to turn around and scold her for getting too close.
Actress and TV presenter Massiel Taveras also faced similar treatment when the same guard was seen placing her arm over the TV presenter’s head and chest. Taveras shoved her. Later, she reposted Rowland’s comments, claiming she was “tired of the abuse.” She also addressed Rowland, saying: “I’m impressed how you handled it, sister. I didn’t know that happened to you first. I was very impressed by how calm and genteel you were because in my case I was tired of the abuse. —BLACK WOMAN MATTERS— we are not going to be silent on situations like that, we need respect.”
According to a report in The Independent, the female security guard or usher is a local Frenchwoman on a short-term contract with the festival. A source told the Mail that the guard was “working under a lot of pressure” to keep those on the carpet moving and that allegations of racism or discrimination were “ridiculous.”
The festival organisers are yet to officially comment on this issue that’s fast gaining traction. However, Cannes Film Festival is known to have strict red carpet policies; they don’t allow the attendees to stand on the red carpet for a long time or allow the stars to take selfies or use their cameras. The ushers are appointed to move the guests to the theater, not letting them stand on the red carpet for an extended time.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian model Sawa Pontyjska claims she has filed a legal complaint against organisers of the Cannes Film Festival after alleging she was assaulted by the same security guard on the red carpet.
She also posted pictures of documents accusing the festival of "physical assault and psychological damage". She said her reputation had also been harmed and is seeking 100,000 euros (Dh398,000) in damages.
