UPDATE 12.15pm CEST: The Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony is aiming to go ahead as scheduled this evening, despite a power cut across much
UPDATE 12.15pm CEST: The Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony is aiming to go ahead as scheduled this evening, despite a power cut across much of the south of France.
”A power outage is currently affecting the city of Cannes and surrounding areas,” said a festival statement to Screen.
”At this stage, the cause of the outage has not yet been identified. Restoration efforts are underway.
”The Palais des Festivals has switched to an independent power supply, allowing all scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, to proceed as planned and under normal conditions.
“However, screenings at the Cineum have been temporarily suspended and will resume as soon as power is restored.”
Despite the power outage affecting the Alpes-Maritime region, the independent power supply to the Palais meant events such as the press conference for Kelly Reichardt’s Competition title The Mastermind starring Josh O’Connor proceeded as normal.
Festival attendees reported that wi-fi and escalators were operational inside the Palais.
However, power was out at several major hotels along the Croisette, including the Majestic and Gray d’Albion, where guests will be getting ready for this evening’s ceremony.
Original story:
The city of Cannes has suffered a total loss of power today (Saturday, May 24) ahead of the film festival’s awards ceremony this evening.
Power across the whole city went out shortly after 10.00am CEST, including in screening rooms, with several festival attendees reporting screenings shut off mid-way through.
Internet was also down across the city, with the outage reportedly stretching all the way to the town of Antibes, 10km away. The regional arm of French broadcaster France3 has posted about the outage on X, with a video of a car park without power.
Reports are coming in suggesting power has been restored in some screening rooms.
The film festival’s closing and awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Palais des Festivals this evening, starting at 18.40 CEST.
The Competition jury, headed by Juliette Binoche, will distribute awards including the Palme d’Or, Grand Prix and Jury Prize.
The power cut is the latest practical issue to afflict this year’s Cannes. Last Saturday (May 17) a palm tree blew over on the Croisette walkway, injuring a Japanese producer.
The outage also comes four weeks after a mass power shutdown on the neighbouring Iberian peninsula, which caused significant problems including for transport and hospitals across Spain and Portugal.
Screen has contacted the city of Cannes and the festival for comment
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