Power Cut Strikes Cannes Film Festival: 160,000 Affected

On the final day of the Cannes Film Festival, a massive power outage impacted approximately 160,000 residences across Cannes and neighboring areas, causing interruptions to numerous film screenings. The outage occurred on Saturday, as confirmed by the electric utility RTE, which has attributed the incident to a suspected arson attack on a power substation. Despite the challenges, festival organizers assured that the closing ceremony would proceed, utilizing an alternative power source.

Residents and businesses faced significant troubles as the power cut left shops and restaurants struggling to operate effectively. Local restaurant owner Laurent Aboukrat described the dire situation, noting that his fridge had been without power since morning, threatening food spoilage. Australian producer Darren Vukasinovic echoed the sentiments of frustration, explaining that the daily operations in Cannes had ground to a halt, making simple pleasures like coffee hard to find.

Authorities have opened an investigation into the power outage, with a gendarmerie spokesperson confirming that they are looking into the possibility of a deliberately initiated fire. Meanwhile, the festival's jury, headed by acclaimed French actress Juliette Binoche, is set to announce the winner of the prestigious Palme d'Or award under the looming challenges of the blackout. Fortunately, RTE confirmed that the power supply was restored by 15:00 local time, allowing the festival's closing events to continue without further disruption.