Criminal Sabotage Suspected as Power Fails in Cannes
The 2025 Cannes Film Festival—one of the world’s most prestigious cinematic events—was rocked Saturday by a suspicious fire and widespread power outage, plunging the iconic city into uncertainty just hours ahead of its glamorous closing ceremony.
Authorities have now confirmed the incident was likely an act of deliberate sabotage.
“Cannes has been targeted in a criminal act,” said Mayor David Lisnard, as investigators revealed that a key electrical pylon had been sabotaged—its legs deliberately cut in the nearby town of Villeneuve-Loubet, just 15 km northeast of Nice.
Film Screenings Canceled, Ceremony Scrambles for Power
The outage threw a wrench into the Festival’s tightly choreographed schedule, causing multiple screenings to be canceled or postponed. Events at Cineum Cannes, one of the festival’s satellite venues, were temporarily suspended until power could be restored.
But the show must go on—and thanks to quick action by organizers, it will.
“The Palais des Festivals has switched to an independent power supply,” the Festival said in a statement.
“All scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, will proceed as planned and under normal conditions.”
Police Confirm Deliberate Sabotage
The French national gendarmerie confirmed that investigators are pursuing leads into what they now suspect is criminal arson and infrastructure sabotage. Three legs of a critical electrical pylon were found severed, and a fire was ignited near the base.
“All resources are mobilized to identify, track down, arrest, and bring to justice the perpetrators,” said Laurent Hottiaux, prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes department.
Growing Pattern of European Power Grid Attacks
This latest act of sabotage adds to a growing list of attacks on European infrastructure, which have increasingly targeted energy grids, data centers, and transport networks. While motives remain unclear, intelligence agencies across the continent have been warning of ideologically driven cells—from radical environmentalists to foreign-backed cyber-physical threat actors—testing the resilience of Western systems.
Though authorities have not confirmed any group’s involvement in the Cannes attack, the timing, symbolism, and scale suggest intent to disrupt a high-profile international event.
The Show Goes On—But Questions Remain
With the red carpet still rolling, international guests in tuxedos and gowns may be unaware of how close the festival came to blackout. But beneath the surface glamour, France is now on high alert, and the global entertainment world is watching closely.
Who targeted Cannes—and why?
As restoration efforts continue and screenings resume, one thing is clear:
This year’s Cannes Film Festival will be remembered not just for its films—but for the night it nearly went dark.