Cannes Film Festival Disrupted by Suspected Sabotage

A power cut caused by suspected sabotage disrupted screenings on the final day of the Cannes Film Festival, affecting around 160,000 homes. An electricity substation was set on fire and a pylon damaged, but festival organizers say the closing ceremony will go ahead as planned using an alternative power supply.

A power outage hit the Cannes Film Festival on its final day, prompting an investigation into possible arson after a fire at an electrical substation and a fallen high-voltage line caused widespread disruptions, affecting 160,000 households; however, power was restored hours before the Palme d'Or ceremony, which proceeded as planned and awarded the top prize to Jafar Panahi's "It Was Just an Accident".

A major power outage struck southeastern France on Saturday, disrupting the Cannes Film Festival's closing celebrations, including the Palme d'Or ceremony. Around 160,000 households lost electricity after a high-voltage line fell, and police investigated possible arson after a fire at an electrical substation weakened the grid. Power was restored by 3 p.m., allowing the ceremony to proceed as planned. The outage caused traffic jams, disrupted train service, and forced some screenings to be suspended, but the festival organizers confirmed that all scheduled events would continue under normal conditions.