STORY: Cannes was in a “total meltdown” on Saturday as festival goers, residents and business owners faced a citywide power cut on Saturday (May 24).

Restaurants could only cook with gas, or otherwise serve cold dishes. Coffee machines laid idle and customers had to pay cash.

French police were investigating a possible arson attack as being the main cause for the power outage which hit the Alpes-Maritimes region in southern France, including Cannes which is hosting its world-famous annual film festival.

The local authority for the region had said earlier on Saturday that the western part of the area, which includes Cannes, was suffering from a major electricity outage and that RTE France was working on restoring power.

The Cannes Film Festival said the closing ceremony would take place as planned on Saturday evening.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 24, 2025) (REUTERS - Access All)

1. CANNES FESTIVAL BILLBOARD / PEOPLE WALKING ON CROISETTE

2. PEOPLE WALKING ON CROISETTE

3. CASTLE ON HILLSIDE

4. PEOPLE SITTING IN SQUARE, CANNES FESTIVAL BILLBOARD BEHIND

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN PRODUCER DARREN VUKASINOVIC SAYING:

"Cannes is in a total slowdown, meltdown, there's no coffee anywhere, and I think the town has run out of croissants, so this is like crisis territory. So the power's been cut out about an hour ago, it's a citywide power cut. So I've been to a couple of different restaurants around here. These guys are going to close down. I think everyone's just taking the day off. That's what's happening."

6. PEOPLE LOOKING OUT FROM BALCONY / RESTAURANT

7. VARIOUS OF EMPTY TABLES AT RESTAURANT

8. COFFEE MACHINE NOT BEING OPERATED

9. WAITER TAKING DRINK FROM SMALL FRIDGE

10. COFFEE MACHINE NOT BEING OPERATED

11. CARD PAYMENT DEVICE

12. RESTAURANT CUSTOMERS PAYING WITH CASH

13. MEAL ORDER BEING WRITTEN ON PIECE OF PAPER

14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) RESTAURANT MANAGER, ADELINE BALLAND, SAYING:

"We can't do anything. We can't type anything on a computer, no cash registers, we can't use any cash registers, we no longer have battery in our card payment devices so we're only taking cash payments. We're adapting, we should be fine."

JOURNALIST ASKING: "And in the kitchen?"

BALLAND: "And in the kitchen we have gas, so we can use the kitchen, but there are some dishes we cannot make. We can't make fries. We're forced to adapt and propose mashed potatoes, salads, anything cold. And there's also no coffee for today, just water and cold beverages."

15. RESTAURANT PATRON, CAROLINE, PAYING WITH COINS

16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CANNES RESIDENT, CAROLINE (REFUSED TO GIVE LAST NAME), SAYING:

"Apparently there was an electrical relay that burned somewhere, I realised that (power cut) this morning at home. The radio stopped, the oven no longer worked. It's not a big deal, there are more important things. People were a bit agitated. I just hope there's not a lot of accidents because there are no longer traffic lights in the city. For me, that's the only real problem, people's safety, and the rest... worst case scenario, they'll have to postpone the closing ceremony (of the Cannes Film Festival). It's not that big of a deal."

17.PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET

18. PHARMACY SIGN NOT LIT

19. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING PAST SHOPS

20. PEOPLE INSIDE SHOE SHOP WITH NO LIGHT

21. (SOUNDBITE) (French) INTERN AT AMERICAN PAVILION, MATTHIAS BIGLER, SAYING:

"I was at the 8:30 screening of 'Sound of Falling' and about halfway through, the screen went out. There were still lights on, and about 10 minutes later, they were able to resume because it seems that they have their own independent power supply."

22. PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET