Power Outage Disrupts Cannes Festival Closing, Authorities Investigate Sabotage

A suspected act of sabotage, including arson at an electricity substation and damage to a power pylon, caused widespread power outages affecting about 160,000 homes in Cannes and surrounding areas on the final day of the Cannes Film Festival. The outage disrupted several morning screenings and local businesses, with restaurants losing refrigeration and shops closing, and caused traffic jams due to malfunctioning traffic lights. Festival organizers confirmed that the Palais des Festivals switched to backup power, allowing all scheduled events, including the Palme d'Or ceremony, to proceed as planned. Authorities launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, condemning the damage to critical electrical infrastructure. Power was restored by mid-afternoon, leading to relief and celebration among locals and festival attendees. The incident has raised concerns about the security and resilience of essential services during major events.