Cate Blanchett Just Led a Women's March at Cannes
Cate Blanchett just led a Women's March on the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival to make a very important point.
Enlisting the help of 82 actresses and Hollywood executives, Blanchett led the demonstration, which took place on the steps of the Palais.
The number 82 is significant because, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it "symbolizes the number of women who have been featured in the festival's competition over its 71-year history," which is a pretty shocking statistic.
Other women taking part included Kristen Stewart, Ava DuVernay, Marion Cotillard, Salma Hayek, and Patty Jenkins.
In her hard-hitting speech, Blanchett revealed (via The Hollywood Reporter):
"On these steps today stand 82 women representing the number of female directors who have climbed these stairs since the first edition of the Cannes Film Festival in 1946. In the same period 1688 male directors have climbed these very same stairs. In the 71 years of this world-renowned festival there have been 12 female heads of its juries. The prestigious Palme d’Or has been bestowed upon 71 male directors-too numerous to mention by name-but only two women."
Blanchett continued, "These facts are stark and undeniable. Women are not a minority in the world, yet the current state of our industry says otherwise. As women, we all face our own unique challenges, but we stand together on these stairs today as a symbol of our determination and commitment to progress."
The Women's March at Cannes was an important call to change, in which Blanchett and her fellow marchers made several demands.
As Blanchett stipulated (via The Hollywood Reporter):
"We will demand that our workplaces are diverse and equitable so that they can best reflect the world in which we actually live. A world that allows all of us behind and in front of the camera to thrive shoulder to shoulder with our male colleagues. We acknowledge all of the women and men who are standing for change. The stairs of our industry must be accessible to all. Let’s climb."
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