Model Sawa Pontyjska sues over Cannes red carpet ‘assault’

A Ukrainian mannequin says she has filed a authorized criticism towards organisers of the Cannes Movie Pageant after she was allegedly manhandled by a safety guard on the pink carpet.

Sawa Pontyjska was one in all a number of company who have been filmed being challenged by the identical steward on the prestigious French occasion.

Singer Kelly Rowland additionally complained, whereas footage of the guard with South Korean actress Yoona and Dominican actress Massiel Taveras additionally went viral.

Pontyjska, a presenter for FashionTV, informed BBC Information she was “brutally” restrained as she tried to enter the cinema with a official ticket for the premiere of Marcello Mio.

On Wednesday, she posted footage of paperwork accusing the pageant of “bodily assault and psychological injury”. She mentioned her status had additionally been harmed and is looking for 100,000 euros (£85,000) in damages.

Pageant organisers haven’t responded to requests for remark.

A video of the incident, which occurred on 21 Could, has been considered greater than 16 million instances on TikTok.

It exhibits Pontyjska on the prime of the steps to the Palais des Festivals apparently being ushered in by the feminine guard, who then places each arms round her.

The pair briefly struggled and Pontyjska virtually dropped to the bottom, earlier than she tried to return down the steps and was stopped by extra safety personnel and brought inside.

Pontyjska informed BBC Information she had been put in a “bear hug” and felt scared.

“I used to be making an attempt to flee from this lock. I went down and I began to run away on the steps as a result of it was the best way again [out],” she mentioned.

“She was making an attempt to push me in[side], so no one can see what she’s doing with me. Then she kicked me out via the again door.”

Pontyjska mentioned she was not doing something mistaken, and had since tried to contact the organisers to request an apology however had not obtained a response.

Her authorized criticism mentioned she was “violently challenged by one in all a bunch of safety guards” in entrance of “1000’s of individuals”.

Using bodily drive brought on “acute ache”, and he or she additionally suffered “psychological trauma”, she wrote.

The unnamed guard made headlines throughout the two-week pageant, together with for a heated change when she tried to usher Rowland up the steps on the identical premiere.

The previous Future’s Little one singer later informed the Related Press: “The lady is aware of what occurred. I do know what occurred. I’ve a boundary, and I stand by these boundaries and that’s it.”

She continued: “There have been different ladies that attended that carpet who didn’t fairly appear like me and so they did not get scolded or pushed or informed to get off. I stood my floor, and he or she felt like she needed to stand hers.”

Taveras appeared to push the guard after repeatedly being hurried up the pink carpet, whereas the identical safety employee was accused by Yoona’s followers of being overbearing as she ushered the South Korean star inside.

Cannes is thought for having strict guidelines for company on the pink carpet.

Writing within the wake of final week’s occasions, the Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner said most attendees are “at all times rushed down the carpet and up the steps”.

He added: “For probably the most half, the job of safety is to maintain the circulate of visitors transferring and get everybody of their seats by the scheduled begin time.”

Extra leeway is given to actors from the movies being premiered, members of the jury, celebrities representing the pageant’s sponsors, different main A-listers, or beloved pageant veterans, he wrote.