A significant power outage struck the Alpes-Maritimes region of southern France on May 24, 2025, impacting around 160,000 homes, including the town of Cannes, where the prestigious Cannes Film Festival was ongoing. The blackout began at approximately 10 a.m. local time and lasted until 4:30 p.m., creating a tense atmosphere on the final day of the festival.
The outage impacted two separate screenings during Saturday morning for a maximum of five minutes each. Festival organizers swiftly deployed generators to ensure that the show went on, allowing screenings to resume shortly after the interruption. Despite the challenges posed by the power loss, the festival continued its programming in preparation for its closing ceremony scheduled for that evening.
Laurent Hottiaux, the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, expressed his horror in unprecedented terms, underscoring how serious the situation is.
“These serious acts of damage cannot be tolerated,” – Laurent Hottiaux
Consequently, Sébastien Leroy, the mayor of Mandelieu-La Napoule, has attributed the power interruption to a “double act of sabotage.” This incident has understandably shaken the confidence of the community. France’s national gendarmerie is conducting a criminal investigation into the incident. They’re specifically interested in whether a planned broadcast fire possibly played a role in the blackout.
RTE, the national electricity transmission operator, sent TSO quarterly reports with updates on the path to restoring power. By 4:30 p.m. local time, residents had their electricity restored after a long day without service.
This unforeseen occurrence revealed the creaking faults in our city’s infrastructure during large, historic cultural events. It raised fears for both conference-goers and implementers. The Cannes Film Festival is known for attracting filmmakers and celebrities from around the globe, making any disruption particularly noteworthy.
As the festival prepared for its closing ceremony later in the evening, many attendees reflected on the unusual circumstances of the day. The resilience demonstrated by festival staff in maintaining screenings amid adversity showcased their commitment to ensuring the celebration of cinema continued despite the challenges posed by the power outage.
