Organisers of the festival on the French Riviera have threatened to refuse entry to guests who do not cover up.
Nudity rules have been added to the dress code for the event, which begins today and will be attended by a host of Hollywood stars.
Festival organisers said the move had been made in the interests of “decency” following the increasing use of red carpets to show off “naked dresses”.
Halle Berry wore a sheer gown at the Met Gala in New York this month that revealed her body between sequinned black panelling, while model Bella Hadid went braless in a sheer brown dress last year.
Stars of their calibre often grace the Cannes red carpet in front of the Grand Theatre Lumiere, where the highest-profile films premiere.
Cannes stated in a festival document: “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival.”
The rules add: “The festival welcoming teams will be obligated to prohibit red carpet access to anyone not respecting these rules.”
This prohibition was not stated in previous years, and has been included in a “festival-goers’ charter” outlining expected behaviour.
Red carpets are shown on TV by companies including France’s national broadcaster, France Televisions, although it is not known whether the risk of airing nudity played a role in deciding on the ban.
The dress code for red carpet events requires dinner jackets and long dresses.
A “little black dress” is also permitted, or a “cocktail dress, a dark-coloured pant suit, a dressy top with black pants; elegant shoes and sandals with or without a heel”.
In addition to banning nudity, Cannes has also prohibited “voluminous dresses” with large trains.
This is for practical reasons, as billowing gowns “hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating”.
It is not yet clear whether Cannes bosses will waive the nudity regulations for the A-list guests attending the festival.
The festival has a recent history of flouting its own rules, particularly when VIPs are involved.
In 2021, Cannes banned personal contact as part of its Covid guidelines, including “la bise”, the customary French peck on each cheek.
However, on the first red carpet of the event, Pierre Lescure, the festival president at the time, greeted guests including Carla Bruni and Jessica Chastain with the customary “bisous”.
Masks were also made obligatory at Cannes, and standing and mingling over cocktails was banned in the Riviera resort, but guests were spotted without face coverings and many parties continued as they had before.
The festival has also set out a number of stringent environmental targets.
However, in 2022, Tom Cruise, famed for playing a daring fighter pilot, took flak from French Green politicians for taking to the skies above Cannes.
The Top Gun star arrived at the festival by helicopter, despite rules that celebrities should be brought to the red carpet by electric cars.
Cruise’s landing was followed by a jet fly-past in his honour.
Thierry Fremaux, the festival director, has promised audiences “a raft of big stars” this year, and Cruise is expected to be in attendance once again to premiere the latest Mission Impossible film.
He may be joined by stars including Paul Mescal, Emma Stone and Scarlett Johansson. (© Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd)
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