By Monifa Bobb-Simon, voice-online.co.uk
THIS YEAR’S Cannes Film Festival was not short of political protests. Alongside Spike Lee’s condemnation of president Trump and white nationalism, black actresses took to the red carpet in a stand against racism in the French film industry.
The group of 16 women staged the protest against the prejudice they face at the hands of directors and casting agents who rejected black women from prestigious roles such as lawyers and also their tire of being asked if they can speak “African”.
Wearing dresses made by Balmain creative director Oliver Rousteing, the famous French film industry figures consisted of Nadège Beausson-Diagne, Mata Gabin, Maïmouna Gueye, Eye Haïdara, Rachel Khan and more.
Nadège Beausson-Diagne, who starred in France’s biggest-ever film at the box office, said that on one occasion she was told: “You can’t play her, she’s a lawyer”; “Luckily, you have fine features and you are not negroid, not too black” and “For a black, you are really very intelligent. You should have been white.”
Read more at http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/cannes-black-actresses-protest-racism-film-industry
