Large-scale power outage in Cannes: festival proceedings interrupted
A power outage in France's Alpes-Maritimes department on May 24 impacted approximately 160,000 households, disrupting the normal flow of electricity. Investigations suggest that a fire near an electrical substation in Tanneron (Var) and several pylon cuttings in Villeneuve-Loubet, Mougins, and Cagnes-sur-Mer may have weakened the power grid before the outage occurred. The incident is being treated as a potential act of arson by authorities.
The Cannes Film Festival, scheduled to conclude on the same day, was forced to adapt due to the power outage. A scheduled film screening was briefly interrupted, affecting the screening of Sirat by Oliver Laxe, a contender for the Palme d'Or. However, the jury had viewed the film during a previous screening.
Despite the initial disruptive effects, power was restored around 3 p.m. local time, allowing the festival's closing ceremony to proceed without disruption, as scheduled at 6 p.m. The ceremony will be supported by three generators.
Traffic disruptions proved to be a more significant challenge, with traffic light stoppages causing issues in Cannes and Antibes. RTE services are currently deployed to restore normal traffic flow, and drivers are advised to exercise extreme caution.
Local officials have condemned the damage to the electrical infrastructure and pledged to bring those responsible to justice.
[1] Franc Info, "Grande coupure de courant chez les Alpes-Maritimes: un sabotage possible?" May 24, 2025. [Link][2] Le Figaro, "Cannes Film Festival: Power outage averted closing ceremony upheaval," May 24, 2025. [Link]
The power outage hindered not only the households but also affected the entertainment industry, causing a disruption to the screening of movies at the Cannes Film Festival. While some films were unaffected, such as Sirat by Oliver Laxe which was viewed earlier, others were momentarily interrupted.
Businesses in the movies-and-tv entertainment sector, including the Cannes Film Festival, had to adapt to ensure smooth operations, with backup generators being employed in certain cases.
