Nudity and "voluminous dresses" banned from the Cannes Film Festival red carpet

One of the Cannes Film Festival's big businesses is also one of its biggest headaches: the red carpet. Evening gowns are only allowed on the red carpet, and until a few years ago, that included women's shoes, which a decade ago sparked a rebellion among Hollywood stars. Having become a runway show of haute couture, jewelry, and accessories two or three times a day, the festival has always applauded its boldness. Until the organizers, alarmed by some designs, said enough was enough: the 78th edition of the world's most prestigious film festival, which kicks off today, Tuesday, has banned nudity in its venues through a document sent to its guests.

“For reasons of decency, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of ​​the festival. Voluminous clothing, particularly those with long trains, which hinder the proper flow of guest traffic and complicate the flow of traffic within the venue, is not permitted,” reads a letter sent to festivalgoers by the organizers. “The festival's welcome teams will be required to deny access to the red carpet to anyone who does not respect these rules,” the statement reads.

A festival representative, contacted by The Hollywood Reporter, confirmed the update in this edition of the document, to reflect "certain rules that have been in place for a long time." They are not intended to "regulate clothing per se, but rather to prohibit complete nudity on the red carpet " in accordance with French law, according to the Cannes representative.

Every morning and at different times of the afternoon, two cleaners vacuum the Cannes red carpet. Every day, its central section, the most battered by footsteps, the red one (the sides are theater red), is replaced, especially by stilettos, and is recycled. Rain or shine don't matter at the entrance to the Festival Palace: this roofed entrance, with spotlights that provide perfect lighting for portraits, houses within its 60 glorious meters a huge Bonfire of the Vanities , which even has a DJ livening up the entrance and a PA announcer who announces the names of the attendees through the PA system, which the public sees on giant screens.

And for that reason, due to the media attention it garners—what's more, the festival's sponsoring partners include all-powerful brands such as Chopard, L'Oréal, and Kering— it's also the subject of enormous controversy: in 2015, women's feet took center stage when festival security prevented two women from accessing a screening of Carol by Todd Haynes who were wearing flat shoes and also had mobility issues. Film stars such as Emily Blunt, who was at Cannes for Sicario , described the situation as "very disappointing." A year later, Julia Roberts decided to respond by walking the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals arm in arm with George Clooney, barefoot. Subsequently, the same gesture has been made by Kristen Stewart and Isabelle Huppert, and Jennifer Lawrence has worn black flip-flops.

In 2022, a topless woman was escorted off the red carpet after removing her dress at a pro-Ukraine protest. Now the show may fear a repeat of the action taken by Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori at the Grammys, when Censori posed for photographers in a sheer sheath dress that revealed her nude image. According to the Cannes guidelines, black tie and evening wear are required for these screenings, even for photographers, suggesting options such as tuxedos and maxi dresses or “a little black dress, cocktail dress, dark-colored pantsuit, an elegant blouse with black pants; elegant shoes and sandals with or without heels; a black or navy suit with a bow tie or dark-colored tie. Handbags, backpacks, or large bags are prohibited.”