Acts of sabotage caused a power outage in France that briefly disrupted the Cannes Film Festival, the authorities said.

Acts of sabotage caused a power outage in France that briefly disrupted the Cannes Film Festival, the authorities said.

A significant power outage hit southeastern France on Saturday, May 24, 2025, temporarily disrupting the Cannes Film Festival and causing widespread traffic disruptions. The outage affected approximately 160,000 households in the Alpes-Maritimes department, with the cause of the outage still under investigation by authorities.

The outage occurred hours after a fire at an electrical substation near Cannes overnight had weakened the grid. Power was eventually restored around 3 p.m. local time, with the end of the blackout greeted by cheers from locals. The Cannes Film Festival, which was preparing to hand out its top prize, confirmed that the outage affected the early activities of Saturday. The main venue, the Palais des Festivals, switched to an independent power supply, ensuring that all scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, proceeded as planned [1].

Traffic lights in parts of Cannes and the surrounding city of Antibes stopped working, leading to traffic jams and confusion in city centers. Most shops along the Croisette remained closed, and local food kiosks were only accepting cash. Train service in Cannes was also disrupted. Authorities urged residents to remain cautious during travel [1].

Police have opened an investigation into possible arson, with a spokesperson for the French national gendarmerie stating that they are looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately [2].

The Cannes Film Festival, which is one of the most prestigious events in the film industry, is expected to continue without major disruptions, thanks to the festival's contingency plans and the quick restoration of power.

References:
[1] https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/power-outage-hits-cannes-film-festival-traffic-southeastern-122148128
[2] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/paris-cannes-film-festival-power-outage-police-investigating-possible-arson/