Blackout in southeastern France affects Cannes Film Festival

A major blackout affected the southeastern region of France this Saturday (24), where the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival will take place, but organizers assured that the blackout will not have an impact on the event.

The unexpected power outage occurred in the morning and its origin is still unknown, but it affected around 160,000 homes in the area, including several residences and businesses in the city of Cannes, according to the City Hall.

The French Alps gendarmerie said in an interview with broadcaster France 3 that the blackout may have been a voluntary action, as authorities recorded a fire in a high-voltage cabin in the municipality of Tanneron.

"A power outage has affected Cannes and its surrounding area. The cause has not yet been identified and efforts to resolve the issue are ongoing. The Palais des Festivals has been given an independent power supply, allowing all scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, to take place as planned and under normal conditions," the Cannes Film Festival said in a statement.

In addition to the mega-event, the blackout in the French region also affected shops, restaurants and hotels packed with tourists, many of whom were there to watch the film festival.