The Cannes Film Festival is no stranger to drama, both on and off the screen. This year, a female security guard has found herself at the center of a heated debate, with some accusing her of racist behavior towards actresses of color.
It all started when a video surfaced showing Kelly Rowland, a former member of Destiny’s Child, having a bit of a tiff with the lady guard. Rowland claims the guard was giving her a hard time, while other women who didn’t share her melanin levels were given a free pass.
“I have a boundary and I stand by those boundaries, and that is it. And there were other women that attended that carpet who did not quite look like me, and they didn’t get that scolding, or pushed off, or told to get off. I stood my ground, and she felt like she had to stand hers. But I stood my ground.”
Rowland told the AP at the amfAR Cannes Gala
Not long after, Dominican actress Massiel Taveras found herself in a similar pickle. Dressed to the nines and trying to work her long train, Taveras seemed to be rushed by the same guard, who was apparently trying to keep things moving along. The Cannes security guard even disrupted the interaction between Taveras and her fans, who clearly weren’t pleased with the treatment.
The sequence of events continued with YoonA, the South Korean K-pop idol turned actress, who barely got a moment to strike a pose on the prestigious stairs before being ushered away. Her fans were quick to cry foul, pointing out that other celebs seemed to have all the time in the world to soak up the spotlight, yet the Cannes guard didn’t try to disrupt their sweet time.
Naturally, fans are up in arms and want her gone, like yesterday.
So, what’s the deal? Is this guard really a closet racist, or is she just doing her job? Depends on who you ask.
Some people are saying that the guard was simply enforcing the strict rules of the Cannes Film Festival. According to them, only the lead actresses of the films being showcased are permitted to pose on the iconic stairs, while other guests are expected to make their way up promptly. They argue that the guard’s actions were not discriminatory but rather a matter of protocol.
But why are these rules so strict? Well, there are a few reasons. For one, the Cannes Film Festival is a huge event with a lot of moving parts. There are dozens of films being screened, hundreds of celebrities in attendance, and thousands of journalists and photographers covering the event. This protocol has been in place for years and it’s not just limited to the Cannes Film Festival. Many high-profile events, including the Academy Awards and the Met Gala, have similar rules in place to ensure that the red carpet runs on schedule.
At the same time, recent reports from the UK’s Daily Mail provide a counter-narrative from the colleagues of the guard.
“She was an usher working under a lot of pressure to keep people on the carpet moving, so as to stop crowds building up. There was no pushing or shoving, or scolding. Security and safety are the priorities, along with keeping to strict timetables set according to contracts – even the celebrities have to stick to the rules.”
They have stressed that ushers, including the controversial female security officer, always “act professionally and with politeness” and even here, the usher in question was “certainly only doing her job – she didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Suggestions of racism are just ridiculous – visitors, and indeed staff at Cannes come from all kinds of backgrounds, and none are discriminated against.”
The 77th Cannes Film Festival, which began on May 14, has already culminated with the jury’s awards, including the prestigious Palme d’Or, being announced at the closing ceremony on Saturday, May 25. To the general public, it’s still unclear what really went down with the security guard. Whether the guard was in the wrong or just following orders, people are demanding change.
Clearer guidelines and more transparent communication might help reconcile the need for order with the individual rights of attendees to enjoy their moment in the limelight. However, at the end of the day, it’s really up to the festival organizers to sort this mess out.
