A power outage hit Cannes during the final day of the film festival, causing chaos for businesses and events. The trouble began early in the morning when arsonists attacked a substation in Tanneron, which supplies electricity to Cannes. This initial incident led to the first power cut.
Later, around 10:00 AM local time, a second outage occurred when the legs of an electricity pylon near Villeneuve-Loubet were cut. The result was a significant disruption in Cannes, where shops and restaurants struggled to keep operating.
Laurent Aboukrat, the owner of Jamin restaurant in Cannes, expressed his frustration, saying his fridges had been without power since the morning. He worried that if the power didn’t return soon, he would have to throw away all his food. The situation was dire for many, with Australian producer Darren Vukasinovic noting that Cannes was in a “total slowdown” with no coffee available and a shortage of croissants.
The power cuts also affected the film festival, interrupting several screenings. Festival organizers quickly switched to private generators to keep events running.
As the festival approached its conclusion, attendees awaited the announcement of the Palme d’Or winner by French actress Juliette Binoche and her jury. The power outages added an unexpected layer of drama to what was already a highly anticipated day.