Wagner Moura, a Brazilian actor, honored with the Best Actor accolade at Cannes Film Festival.
During the closing ceremony of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, a significant power disruption occurred, although it was not exactly two blackouts. On the morning of the event, a fire at an electrical substation situated near Cannes weakened the power grid, and soon after, a high-voltage line succumbed to pressure, leading to a widespread power outage affecting about 160,000 households in the Alpes-Maritimes department[1][2]. Although the outage did not actually happen during the ceremony itself, it threatened to disrupt the proceedings.
Investigations into possible sabotage or arson are ongoing by local police, who are considering the possibility of criminal intent[1][2]. As the inquiry continues, authorities have expressed their condemnation of such actions and vowed to identify and prosecute those responsible[1]. Fortunately, power restoration began hours before the closing ceremony, permitting the event to proceed as planned[1]. Despite the inconvenience, the festival's closing and awards ceremony, including the Palme d'Or, proceeded without major incidents once electricity was restored[3].
Other highlights of the festival this year included the political thriller 'The Secret Agent' by Kleber Mendonça Filho, which won an award outside the official competition[4]. The film, set in Recife in 1977, stars Wagner Moura as Marcelo, a technology specialist who seeks tranquility in his hometown but encounters a series of secrets and dangers[4]. 'The Secret Agent' was a Coproduction between Brazil, France, the Netherlands, and Germany and features Maria Fernanda Cândido, Gabriel Leone, and Hermila Guedes, among others[4].
Speculation about the awards of the festival centered around the possibility of honoring dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who attended Cannes after 15 years of house arrest in Iran[5]. Others rumored to be contenders for recognition included Ukrainian Sergei Loznitsa, Swedish-Egyptian Tarik Saleh, and the Dardenne brothers[5], who could make history with a third Palme d'Or.
The actor Wagner Moura remains a prominent figure in Brazilian cinema due to his international collaborations, notably his portrayal of Pablo Escobar in the Netflix series 'Narcos'[5].
[1] AFP agency[2] Variety[3] Deadline Hollywood[4] Movie Web[5] Deadline Hollywood
The unexpected power outage, though not during the ceremony itself, caused anxiety about potential disruptions to the closing event of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Despite the unexpected incidents, the festival's 'The Secret Agent' by Kleber Mendonça Filho, set in culture rich Recife, attractive attention with its engaging plot and international cast, potentially foreshadowing awards in movies-and-tv entertainment.
