A power outage struck Cannes early Saturday morning, coinciding with the final hours leading up to the prestigious film festival's closing ceremony. The incident, linked to a suspicious fire, has left many theaters in the city without electricity.
Despite the disruption, festival organizers quickly secured an alternative power source, ensuring that the majority of events, including the highly anticipated closing bash, will continue as scheduled. “A power outage is currently affecting the city of Cannes and surrounding areas,” the festival announced in a statement.
The Palais des Festivals has successfully switched to an independent power supply, allowing all planned events and screenings to proceed without interruption. However, the Cineum theater has temporarily halted screenings until power is restored.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the outage, with police suspecting arson. “We are looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately,” stated a spokesperson for the French national gendarmerie. No arrests have been reported as of yet.
The outage impacted a large portion of the Alpes-Maritimes region, including Cannes itself, cutting power shortly after 10 a.m. Many festival theaters were in the midst of film screenings when the lights went out. Additionally, internet services across the city were disrupted, with reports indicating that the outage extended up to six miles beyond Cannes.
At the Cineum Imax theater, 17 films were scheduled for screening that day, including “The Mastermind” and “The History of Sound,” both featuring actor Josh O’Connor alongside Paul Mescal. The duration of the disruption at this venue remains uncertain.
As the festival approaches its conclusion, organizers are set to award the coveted Palme d’Or (Golden Palm) for best film, along with other prestigious honors such as the Grand Prix and Jury Prize during the closing ceremony.
With Post Wires
