Hello Blanchetters!

The 5th day of Cannes was historic and moving; The Film Festival partnered with the 50/50by2020 collective and Time’s Up movement in a symbolic gesture to support gender equality and diversity in the industry, before the signing of the official guidelines on Monday. Linked in arms, 82 women representing the number of films directed by women and selected in Competition since the first edition of the festival, marched up the stairs ahead of the “Girls of the Sun” film premiere.

Cate delivered a powerful speech calling for gender equality while director Agnès Varda read it in french.

“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 – Jane Campion, who is with us in spirit, and Agnès Varda, who stands with us today.

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. We are writers, producers, directors, actresses, cinematographers, talent agents, editors, distributors, sales agents and all involved in the cinematic arts.

We stand in solidarity with women of all industries.

WE CHALLENGE our institutions to actively provide parity and transparency in their executive bodies and safe environments in which to work.

WE CHALLENGE our governments to make sure that the laws of equal pay for equal work are upheld.

WE CHALLENGE ourselves to continue to insist 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.”

You can watch the reading of the text here (minute 17:49)

For this event Cate wore a Giorgio Armani black silk gown

Cate also joined a photoshoot for French magazine Madame Figaro

Photo!