Green and purple smoke bombs filled the air as feminist protesters were physically pushed back over barriers - the scene at the opening night of the British Film Festival and premiere of film Suffragette proved that the fight for women's equality is well and truly alive, more than a hundred years on from the original movement.

Hundreds of women stormed the red carpet holding banners and chanting slogans for female rights in Leicester Square last night, as stars from Meryl Streep to Carey Mulligan and Anne-Marie Duff made their entrance at the opening of their new film about the women's suffragette movement.

Dressed in T-shirts bearing the slogan “Two women killed every week” and “Dead women can't vote”, 15 protesters from a group named Sisters Uncut laid on the red carpet to highlight the cuts to domestic violence services, while actress Helena Bonham Carter watched on and applauded them.

“I think it's marvellous. That is exactly what the suffragettes were about,” said Bonham Carter who plays an English suffragette. “Hopefully the film will inspire anybody who feels an injustice has been done, to be bold enough to protest.”

Ramola Garai said, “I haven't spoken to them or seen their demands but I'm happy to see the suffrage movement is alive and happening.”

When art becomes reality: protesters storm Suffragette film premiere to fight for women's rights