**As the Cannes Film Festival seeks solutions to a major power outage, authorities investigate the cause of the sabotage that impacted hundreds of thousands.**
**Cannes Film Festival Faces Power Outage Due to Suspected Sabotage**
**Cannes Film Festival Faces Power Outage Due to Suspected Sabotage**
**A power cut disrupts the final day of the festival, with reports of arson.**
A significant power outage caused by suspected sabotage has created turmoil on the final day of the Cannes Film Festival in southern France. The blackout affected approximately 160,000 households in Cannes and neighboring areas early Saturday morning, only to have power restored later in the afternoon.
Local officials reported that an electricity substation was set ablaze and a pylon in a nearby town was deliberately damaged. Despite initial fears, festival organizers confirmed that the closing ceremony would proceed as scheduled thanks to an alternative power source. Prosecutors revealed that the first incident was linked to arson, targeting a substation in Tanneron that serves the Cannes area.
Following these events, a second outage occurred at around 10:00 a.m. when an electricity pylon's legs were compromised close to Villeneuve-Loubet. The consequences were immediate, as local businesses struggled to function. Laurent Aboukrat, who runs a restaurant in Cannes, expressed his frustration saying, "Another hour and I'll throw everything away," referring to the perishable food in his non-functional fridge.
Others echoed the chaos, with Australian producer Darren Vukasinovic noting, "Cannes is in a total slowdown, meltdown... the town has run out of croissants," indicative of the broader impact on the festival atmosphere. Several morning screenings were interrupted, but organizers swiftly moved to operate private generators.
As the festival heads into its concluding moments, French actress Juliette Binoche and her juried panel are preparing to announce the prestigious Palme d'Or winner, highlighting the resilience and determination to maintain the festival spirit amidst challenges.
Local officials reported that an electricity substation was set ablaze and a pylon in a nearby town was deliberately damaged. Despite initial fears, festival organizers confirmed that the closing ceremony would proceed as scheduled thanks to an alternative power source. Prosecutors revealed that the first incident was linked to arson, targeting a substation in Tanneron that serves the Cannes area.
Following these events, a second outage occurred at around 10:00 a.m. when an electricity pylon's legs were compromised close to Villeneuve-Loubet. The consequences were immediate, as local businesses struggled to function. Laurent Aboukrat, who runs a restaurant in Cannes, expressed his frustration saying, "Another hour and I'll throw everything away," referring to the perishable food in his non-functional fridge.
Others echoed the chaos, with Australian producer Darren Vukasinovic noting, "Cannes is in a total slowdown, meltdown... the town has run out of croissants," indicative of the broader impact on the festival atmosphere. Several morning screenings were interrupted, but organizers swiftly moved to operate private generators.
As the festival heads into its concluding moments, French actress Juliette Binoche and her juried panel are preparing to announce the prestigious Palme d'Or winner, highlighting the resilience and determination to maintain the festival spirit amidst challenges.
