Model Sawa Pontyjska sues Cannes Festival over security guard altercation

Cannes Film Festival is under fire after a recent altercation between their security guard and a guest on the red carpet.

Ukranian model Sawa Pontyjska has come forward with a lawsuit against the film festival for causing pain and trauma, citing 'unreasonable use of physical force' against the plaintiff, BBC reported on Thursday.

The model, who was crowned Miss Europe in 2023, reportedly revealed that she was at the top of the Palais des Festival staircase, entering the event when an unnamed female guard dragged the model with her arms around her at the premiere of Marcello Mio.

"I was trying to escape from this lock. I went down, and I started to run away on the stairs because it was the way back [out]," Pontyjska told the outlet. "She was trying to push me in[side], so nobody can see what she's doing with me. Then she kicked me out through the back door."

Sawa is seeking 100,000 euros in damages, claiming that the use of physical force that caused her 'acute pain' and 'psychological trauma.'

“[Cannes] allowed the guards to use physical force on the red carpet guests,” the plantiff was quoted in the legal documents.

The same guard had also clashed with guests like Kelly Rowland and Massiel Taveras at the red carpet.

Prior to the lawsuit, Sawa announced her decision to sue Cannes as well and shared her plans to search for a serious lawyer who 'isn't scared' of high-profile cases in a video shared Tuesday on Instagram.

"I always dreamed into getting of Cannes Film Festival but then I was shocked about rudeness and unreasonable use of physical force which I experienced on the red carpet with other international stars. We are getting ready to file all together," Sawa said in the video.

The video also contained the viral footage where the model can be seen struggling to free herself from the guard's grip. Sawa's knees bubkle to the ground but she quickly gets up and breaks free before being confronted by more security personnel.

The model had also shared a full footage of the assault on Instagram that went viral on various social media platforms.

A video of similar treatment towards Dominican actress Massiel Taveras for attempting to take photos on the festival steps on Wednesday also went viral.