Key Facts
• May 24: A large-scale power outage occurred in southern France during the Cannes Film Festival.
• 160,000 households in Cannes and surrounding areas were affected by the outage.
• The outage was caused by a fire at a substation, possibly due to arson.
• Power was restored approximately 6.5 hours later, allowing the awards ceremony to proceed.
• Some film screenings were interrupted but resumed after restoration.
• Local media reported a transmission tower supplying power to Cannes collapsed due to the fire.
• The Palme d’Or was awarded to Iranian director Jafar Panahi for “Simple Accident.”
• Japanese director Chie Hayakawa’s “Renoir” did not win in the competition category.
Summary
On May 24, a massive power outage disrupted the Cannes Film Festival in southern France, affecting 160,000 households in Cannes and nearby areas. The outage, reportedly caused by a fire at a substation, possibly due to arson, led to the collapse of a transmission tower. While some film screenings were interrupted, power was restored after 6.5 hours, allowing the awards ceremony to proceed as planned. The Palme d’Or was awarded to Iranian director Jafar Panahi for “Simple Accident,” while Japanese director Chie Hayakawa’s “Renoir” did not win. Despite the disruption, the festival concluded successfully.
