A major power outage hit the area around the French Rivera resort of Cannes on Saturday, the final day of the city’s film festival, though organisers said the closing ceremony would not be affected.
The cause of the power cut, which began just after 10:00 am (0800 GMT), was a fire in a substation in the nearby village of Tanneron, probably an arson attack, police sources told AFP, asking not to be named.
Grid operator RTE said 160,000 homes had been affected in Cannes and the surrounding area.
The festival said it had “switched to an alternative electricity power supply, which enables us to maintain the events and screenings planned for today in normal conditions, including the closing ceremony”.
Traffic lights have been knocked out in the glitzy holiday destination, causing snarls, while shops on one of the main streets had to close.
Morning screenings at the festival’s cinemas were also briefly interrupted while the supply switched over to generators.
After almost a fortnight of red carpets and politically charged statements, French actor Juliette Binoche and her jury are set to announce the winners of the festival’s top prizes at the closing ceremony scheduled to start at 1640 GMT.
