Ukrainian model says she will sue Cannes Film Festival over red carpet security

A Ukrainian model says she is taking legal action against the Cannes Film Festival after she said she was manhandled on the red carpet by security.

Sawa Pontyjska uploaded footage to social media showing a female security guard putting her arms around her before she almost fell to the ground.

It comes after former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland complained of heavy-handed treatment on the red carpet of the annual film industry gathering in the south of France.

Pontyjska has accused staff of “physical assault and pyschological damage” and said she is is seeking 100,000 euros (£85,000) in damages.

Festival organisers have not responded to requests for comment.

The model told BBC News she was trying to get inside the cinema with a legitimate ticket for the premiere of Marcello Mio.

She added that security tried to “push me in” the building so “nobody could see what she’s doing with me” before theu “kicked” her out the back door.

Rowland said her widely publicised bust-up with security staff happened because: “I have a boundary, and I stand by those boundaries and that is it."

She added: "There were other women that attended that carpet who did not quite look like me and they didn't get scolded or pushed or told to get off. I stood my ground, and she felt like she had to stand hers."

The festival, which attracts some of the biggest names in Hollywood to the coastal resort, is well-known for its strict approach to security on and off the red carpet.