British film-maker claims she was denied access to Marché du Film, then told to pay fee for baby and wait two days for it to be processed

The Cannes film festival has been criticised for its treatment of mothers and babies after a female director claimed she and her child were prevented from entering the festival site.

British director Greta Bellamacina, whose film Hurt By Paradise is screening in the market section of the festival, said the festival had displayed an “outrageous” attitude after she attempted to enter the festival with her four-month son.

“I’m outraged at the absurdity of this backwards attitude,” Bellamacina said in a statement. “As if female film-makers needed further obstacles to equality in our industry.”

According to Bellamacina, the festival initially refused her child entry to the site when she arrived on Wednesday. After “much stressful debate” she and her child were allowed into the accreditation area, though she says she was told that her buggy would have to be sent through a different entrance. Bellamacina says she was then told that her child would require a delegate’s pass, costing €300 (£260). After she offered to pay the fee, she was told that it would take 48 hours to process her request and was asked to leave the site.

“Ironically, my film is about a young single mother trying to balance her life as a writer,” Bellamacina added. “She is treated quite patronisingly in some scenes in the film, but never as rudely as I was treated as a mother at the film festival today.”

The incident comes in the wake of the introduction of a new initiative, announced by the Cannes film festival and Marché du Film, its business counterpart, in April, and intended to make it easier for those with young children to attend the festival. Created in conjunction with the Parenting at Film Festivals group, a support network and lobby group set up to help parents in the film industry whose roles necessitate large amounts of travel, Le Ballon Rouge offers additional free passes for a nanny and baby, as well as a breast-feeding and baby-changing room, easy access for young children and strollers, and a dedicated children’s area.

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In a statement released on Thursday Cannes said that the decision to refuse entry to Bellamacina had been made in error, which the festival was working to correct.

“The Festival de Cannes and the Marché du film set up for this 72nd edition a more active welcome policy for mothers who come to Cannes with their young children,” a spokesperson said. “Unfortunately Mrs Bellamacina was not aware of these new provisions, and following poor communication from a security officer and a registration host, she was denied access which should have been granted to her.

“The Festival deplores it and has been working to correct it since then. Mrs Bellamacina will get the badges and access that will allow her to benefit from the various initiatives that have been taken this year, and to work in the best possible conditions.”