A significant power outage hit southeastern France on Saturday morning, posing a threat to disrupt the closing celebrations of the Cannes Film Festival, including the eagerly awaited Palme d’Or ceremony.
Police said they have opened an investigation into possible arson.
Fortunately, power was restored by approximately 3 p.m. local time, just in time for music to once again resonate from the beachfront speakers. The restoration was met with enthusiastic cheers from the local community.
Employees stand outside a shop during an electricity outage in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
“All resources are mobilized to identify, track down, arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of these acts,” said Hottiaux.
Cannes Film Festival organizers noted that the outage impacted the morning events on Saturday but confirmed that the Palais des Festivals, the main venue on the Croisette, had switched to a backup power source.
“All scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, will proceed as planned and under normal conditions,” the statement said. “At this stage, the cause of the outage has not yet been identified. Restoration efforts are underway.”
Traffic lights are switched off during an electricity outage in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly) (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
Traffic lights in parts of Cannes and the surrounding city of Antibes stopped working after 10 a.m., leading to traffic jams and confusion in city centers. Most shops along the Croisette remained closed, and local food kiosks were only accepting cash. Train service in Cannes was also disrupted.
Screenings at the Cineum, one of the festival’s satellite venues, were briefly suspended, the festival added.
The Palme d’Or — the festival’s most prestigious prize — was set to be awarded Saturday night, with top contenders including Joachim Trier’s family drama “Sentimental Value,” Jafar Panahi’s revenge thriller “It Was Just an Accident,” Kleber Mendonça Filho’s political thriller “The Secret Agent,” and Óliver Laxe’s desert road trip “Sirât.”
