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Jessica Chastain 'disturbed' by Cannes' portrayal of women

The Cannes juror has hit out at how women were depicted in most films at the world's biggest film festival this year.

Chastain
Image: Jessica Chastain was a member of this year's Cannes jury
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Jessica Chastain has said she found the portrayal of women at the Cannes Film Festival "disturbing".

The actress was a member of this year's jury, for which she had to watch the 20 films in competition.

"This is the first time I've watched 20 films in 10 days, and I love movies," she said. "The one thing I really took away from this experience is how the world views women from the female characters that were represented.

"It was quite disturbing to me, to be honest - with some exceptions."

Kidman as a cruel headmistress in Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled
Image: Sofia Coppola won best director for her Civil War drama The Beguiled

Cannes has long faced accusations of gender inequality, and has made public the intent to include more women directors and films depicting female realities.

Chastain said that "for the most part" she was "surprised by the representation of female characters" in this year's films.

"I do hope that when we include more female storytellers we will have more of the women I recognise in my day-to-day life, those who are proactive, have their own agency, don't just react to the men around them, they have their own point of view," she said.

More on Cannes Film Festival

This year there were three female directors in competition: Sofia Coppola, Naomi Kawase and Lynne Ramsay.

Coppola took home the directorial award for her southern drama The Beguiled, starring Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning.

She became only the second female director in the festival's history to win the award, after Yuliya Solntseva in 1961.

The Palme d'Or, the festival's most coveted award, has been awarded to a woman only once in 70 years - director Jane Campion, who was again present this year.

It was won this year by The Square, by Swedish director Ruben Östlund.

Two years ago, a row erupted at the Croisette when women were reportedly banned from screenings for not wearing high heels.