Power Disruption Hits Cannes Film Festival on Final Day

A significant power cut in Cannes caused disruptions during the last day of the Cannes Film Festival, affecting around 160,000 homes in the region.

A substantial power outage hit the Cannes Film Festival in southeastern France on Saturday, affecting both screenings and local businesses on the festival's final day. Approximately 160,000 residences in Cannes and nearby areas lost electricity, as reported by France's electricity operator RTE. Authorities are currently investigating the possibility of an arson attack being the cause of the outage.

Despite the disruption, festival organizers confirmed that the closing ceremony would proceed as planned, thanks to backup power arrangements. The outage plagued the Alpes-Maritimes region, with power being restored around 15:00 local time (11:00 GMT). Local establishments faced significant challenges as they struggled to operate during the blackout. "Another hour and I'll throw everything away," lamented Laurent Aboukrat, owner of Jamin restaurant, who reported that his refrigeration had been out since morning. Australian producer Darren Vukasinovic also expressed frustration, stating, "Cannes is in a total slowdown, meltdown; there's no coffee anywhere."

The police are actively pursuing the investigation into a potential deliberate fire incident at a power substation. "We are looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately," remarked a spokesperson for the gendarmerie. The Cannes Film Festival, still carrying on with its events, is set to see French actress Juliette Binoche and her jury announce the recipient of the esteemed Palme d'Or, the festival's top honor, even as screenings faced interruptions earlier in the day.