Actress brings kidnapped girls issue to Cannes

Salma Hayek at Cannes events. Photo / AP

Mexican actress Salma Hayek has used a red-carpet appearance to support the appeal for the release of more than 200 Nigerian kidnapped schoolgirls.

Appearing at the premiere of her animated film The Prophet at the Cannes film festival, Hayek became the latest star to support the call to 'Bring back our girls' following the kidnapping of more than 200 girls in northeast Nigeria by terrorist group Boko Haram last month.

The 67th Cannes Film Festival opened on Thursday in the south of France.

This year's jury president is New Zealand director, producer and screenwriter Jane Campion.

Among the many stars adorning the various red-carpet premieres at the festival was Australian Naomi Watts, who wowed at the premiere of animated film How to Train Your Dragon 2.

America Ferrera, also at the premiere, had an awkward encounter with a man who tried to put his head under her gown.

Vitalii Sediuk, a journalist for Ukraine TV station 1Plus1, was tackled by festival security. The Hollywood Reporter website said that multiple inquiries with local police showed no record of him being arrested.

Sediuk did have a valid press pass to access the carpet, according to festival organisers.