Power Outage Disrupts Cannes Film Festival: What You Need to Know About the Impact in Southern France | CNN

A significant power outage hit southern France on Saturday, leaving about 160,000 homes in the dark. This happened just as the Cannes Film Festival was wrapping up, adding a layer of drama to the event.

The blackout started around 10 a.m. local time, according to France’s electricity operator, RTE. They are actively working to restore power. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the French national gendarmerie mentioned they are investigating a possible deliberate cause for the outage, although no arrests have been made.

Cannes has hosted its famous film festival for 78 years, and this was the final day of activities. Organizers quickly took action, using generators to keep the film screenings going. The Palais des Festivals, the main venue, switched to an independent power supply to ensure everything continued as planned, including the highly anticipated closing ceremony.

The organization reassured attendees that the outage briefly impacted two screenings for about five minutes, but operations resumed smoothly. Viewers and participants expressed relief, sharing their experiences on social media, highlighting the resilience of the festival in the face of unexpected challenges.

Interestingly, power outages are not uncommon in France, with a report from RTE indicating that weather and maintenance issues can strain the electricity grid. In recent years, many countries have faced similar challenges, making reliability a growing concern for energy providers globally.

As cinema lovers unite to celebrate at the festival, it’s a reminder that while technology plays a crucial role in our lives, events can still thrive even during unexpected disruptions. For more information on energy reliability issues, you can visit the International Energy Agency.

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