A power outage in southeast France on Saturday threatened to cancel the final day of the Cannes Film Festival, but was eventually resolved just hours before the closing ceremony. Authorities believe arson may have played a role in the blackout that left around 160,000 households without electricity.
The outage occurred after a high-voltage line collapsed near Cannes, causing a fire at an electrical substation. French authorities are investigating the cause of the line’s collapse and whether it was related to the arson at the substation.
Despite the disruption, festival organizers confirmed that all scheduled events would proceed as planned. The Palais des Festivals, the main venue for the closing ceremony, had switched to an independent power supply, ensuring a smooth continuation of the event.
The power outage also caused traffic jams and disruptions in the surrounding city of Antibes, with many shops along the Croisette remaining closed and local food kiosks only accepting cash. However, the Palme d’Or award ceremony was able to proceed as scheduled, honoring top contenders including Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” and Óliver Laxe’s “Sirât”.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/power-outage-hits-cannes-film-festival-traffic-southeastern-122148128