In brief
A massive power outage engulfed the Cannes area on Saturday, causing brief disruptions for the ongoing film festival and leaving a multitude of residents without electricity. French authorities confirmed that the outage began at 10 a.m. and impacted around 160,000 homes in Cannes and its vicinity, according to RTE, the country's electrical grid operator.
The cause of the outage remains unclear, but officials assured that crews from RTE and the electrical distribution company were actively working to restore power to affected areas. Despite this disruption, festival organizers quickly activated an independent power supply, which allowed all previously scheduled events, including a highly anticipated closing ceremony, to proceed as planned.A festival spokesperson noted that while all major events continued uninterrupted, one screening in a specific theater had to be temporarily halted due to the outage. In adjacent neighborhoods, local reports indicated that non-functional traffic lights posed dangers, prompting state authorities from the Alpes-Maritimes region to advise pedestrians and drivers to exercise caution during this period.With the Palme d’Or and other prestigious awards set to be announced later that evening, the resilience of festival organizers in managing the unexpected power failure was key in ensuring that the renowned event could maintain its celebratory momentum, creating an atmosphere filled with glamour and excitement even amidst challenges.
