There’s a big wardrobe change happening at the upcoming Cannes film festival.
The festival starts on Tuesday, with French director Amélie Bonnin's Leave One Day opening the films screened on the Croisette.
But for stars walking the red carpet at Cannes, there’s a new dress code – which prohibits “nudity”.
“For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as any other area of the festival,” states a Cannes festival document.
“The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”
In previous years, there have been some iconic barely-there dresses worn by celebrities – including a cut-out dress worn by Bella Hadid, where only a Schiaparelli lung necklace was covering her chest.
Celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Naomi Campbell, Elle Fanning and Irina Shayk have also opted for more risqué numbers in the past.
The festival is always a magnet for film stars, supermodels and the upper echelons of the culture industry, and this year’s selection boasts some particularly starry casts.
And how films fare at the festival is an early indicator on their future success on the awards circuit, with last years’ winners being a case in point.
Sean Baker’s Anora went on to win best picture at the Oscars after picking up the Palme d’Or, while much-discussed musical Emilia Pérez chalked up the most Academy Award nominations after receiving the Cannes Jury Prize.
This year, Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor star opposite one another in Oliver Hermanus’ latest film, The History of Sound – a gay romantic drama set during the First World War.
O’Connor is also starring in The Mastermind, Kelly Reichardt’s crime thriller about an art heist that’s playing in competition.
As seems to be traditional for Wes Anderson releases, his new film, The Phoenician Scheme, is premiering in competition and features a high-profile set of performers, with Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Cera and Benicio del Toro all starring in Anderson’s espionage black comedy.
Ari Aster – director of Midsommar and Hereditary – will also be showing Eddington, a purported horror-western set amidst a pandemic in 2020 and starring an impressive ensemble cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler.
