Cannes' Power Struggle: Festival Faces Unexpected Hurdles

The Cannes Film Festival had a bumpy start to its awards ceremony day. A major power outage hit the city on Saturday morning, lasting a full five hours. The blackout began around 10:15 a. m. local time. It caused quite a stir, especially since the festival's closing ceremony was scheduled for later that evening. The outage affected more than just the city's lights. Several screening rooms lost power, interrupting films in progress. Even the J. W. Marriott on the Croisette, a key festival hub, experienced flickering lights. Many restaurants had to close or switch to cash-only transactions, adding to the chaos. ATMs were down, making it even harder for people to manage. The Palais des Festivals, however, managed to keep its lights on. It switched to an independent power supply, ensuring that all scheduled events and screenings could proceed as planned. This included the highly anticipated closing ceremony. The Cineum, however, had to suspend screenings temporarily, waiting for power to be restored. The cause of the outage remains unclear. Some reports suggest it might be due to malicious acts. Two arson attacks were reported overnight, and several power lines were found sawn off in the Alpes-Maritimes. The local government is investigating, but no concrete evidence has been found yet. The public prosecutor’s office will likely be involved in the investigation. The power outage did not stop the festival's momentum. The awards ceremony was set to start at 6:40 p. m. CET, with jury president Juliette Binoche and other members ready to hand out top awards. The Palme d’Or and prizes for best actor and actress were among the coveted awards to be presented. The power outage was a significant disruption, but the festival's organizers showed resilience. They quickly adapted, ensuring that the show could go on. It's a reminder that even in the glamorous world of film festivals, unexpected challenges can arise. The festival's ability to handle such issues speaks volumes about its organization and preparedness.