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The red-carpet protest was organized by French women from a movement known as 5050 by 2020 who worked with women from Time's Up movement, according to Silverstein.

\"They've been working with the festival to find the right moment and action, and this is what they all decided on,\" Silverstein said.Festival director Thierry Fremaux said prior to the women's protest Saturday that it was a way for them \"to affirm their presence.\"

Cannes has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years over the number of female directors entered for recognition at Cannes, considered one of the most esteemed achievements in cinema. Jane Campion is the only female filmmaker to ever win Cannes' top prize, the Palme d'Or.

Silverstein said the root of the problem is the subjective nature of deciding what is \"best.\"

\"PHOTO:
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
PHOTO: Jury head Cate Blanchett with other filmmakers reads a statement on the steps of the red carpet in protest of the lack of female filmmakers honored throughout the history of the festival during the Cannes Film Festival, May 12, 2018 in Cannes.
>

\"I think one of the things we need to do is unpack that word because automatically in our culture when we think of the best we always think about men, so what we're trying to do is make people understand that the best doesn't mean anything anymore,\" she said.

\"The whole point is that a job should be for the best person. We get all these kind of gendered roles where the men have the priority because the narrative, albeit false narrative, has been that men sell more than women,\" Silverstein said.

And as for larger gender issues like equal pay, Silverstein said, \"I think you need to demand it ... don't undersell yourself.\"\"If you hire more women you get more diversity and inclusion,\" she added. \"So if we want to increase the number of women working in the business you actually have to hire them so that they [in turn] hire other people.\"

\"Start Here\" is a daily ABC News podcast hosted by Brad Mielke featuring original reporting on stories that are driving the national conversation. Listen for FREE on the ABC News app, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio -- or ask Alexa: \"Play 'Start Here.'\"

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ABC News' Brad Mielke and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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