The much-anticipated Cannes Film Festival , currently in its 79th iteration in the south of France, has had a complicated relationship with flat footwear throughout its history.

The festival, which welcomes A-list talent and up-and-coming names from around the world, did not explicitly ban flats in its dress code in the past, but festival workers were known to prohibit entry — or attempt to do so — for women in flats on various occasions at black-tie gala screenings. The controversy known as “Flatgate” arose in 2015, when multiple women were denied entry to the premiere of the film “Carol” for wearing flat shoes — sparking a heated debate in the film and fashion industries, as the dress code expectation for women was viewed as a sexist double standard.

That year, the festival put out an official statement addressing the shoe drama: “Regarding the dress code for the red carpet screenings, rules have not changed throughout the years (Tuxedo, formal dress for Gala screenings) and there is no specific mention…