Cannes Movie Competition: Energy outage hits southeast France, authorities verify closing ceremony to proceed as deliberate | Hollywood

Might 24, 2025 06:53 PM IST
The Cannes Movie Competition is gearing up for the closing ceremony on Might 24 the place the primary awards might be introduced by the jury, headed by Juliette Binoche.
A significant energy outage struck southeastern France on Saturday, disrupting visitors and briefly halting occasions on the Cannes Movie Competition as the distinguished occasion ready at hand out its high prize. (Additionally learn: Alia Bhatt channels classic glamour for her debut on the Cannes Movie Competition. See pics)
Energy outrage at Cannes
About 160,000 households within the Alpes-Maritimes division misplaced electrical energy after a high-voltage line fell Saturday morning, electrical energy community operator RTE stated on X. The outage got here hours after a hearth at {an electrical} substation close to Cannes in a single day had already weakened the grid.
What the competition authorities stated
Cannes Movie Competition organizers confirmed the outage affected the early actions of Saturday and stated the Palais des Festivals — the Croisette’s important venue — had switched to an impartial energy provide.
“All scheduled occasions and screenings, together with the Closing Ceremony, will proceed as deliberate and underneath regular circumstances,” the assertion stated. “At this stage, the reason for the outage has not but been recognized. Restoration efforts are underway.”
Nonetheless, screenings on the Cineum, one of many competition’s satellite tv for pc venues, had been briefly suspended, the competition added.
Site visitors lights in components of Cannes and the encircling metropolis of Antibes stopped working after 10 a.m., resulting in visitors jams and confusion in metropolis facilities. Most outlets alongside the Croisette remained closed, and native meals kiosks had been solely accepting money. Practice service in Cannes was additionally disrupted.
Authorities stated restoration efforts had been ongoing and urged residents to stay cautious throughout journey.
Cannes Movie Competition is about to announce this 12 months’s awards, with followers the world over ready to see which movies among the many 22 titles within the competitors will get the coveted Palme d’Or. A number of the most acclaimed titles embody Jafar Panahi’s It Was Simply an Accident, Sentimental Worth by Norway’s Joachim Trier, Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Imprecise and Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love.
(With inputs from AP)
