Sabotage Turns Spotlight on Cannes Film Festival Blackout
The glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival took an unexpected turn this year when large sections of the French Riviera plunged into darkness. Authorities now say the blackout wasn’t an accident. It was the work of saboteurs targeting the region’s electricity supply—and it happened while the world’s attention was fixed on the famous red carpet.
The outage, which struck in late May 2025, didn’t just flicker the lights at screening venues. It rippled far beyond the festival, knocking out power in neighborhoods, halting traffic signals, and causing headaches for local businesses. For festivalgoers, it was a surreal interruption; for the people living in Cannes and nearby towns, it was a stark reminder of how exposed critical infrastructure can be.
But the disruption didn’t end there. The very next day, Nice and the Var department were hit even harder: over 200,000 homes suddenly lost power. It was no random coincidence. Investigators descended on a major substation in Nice, where they found clear signs of sabotage—equipment tampered with and security protocols breached. The message was unmistakable: someone had a plan, and they knew exactly where to hit.
Security Tightens in the Riviera After Back-to-Back Attacks
Detectives say the attacks were coordinated, targeting key nodes in the energy supply chain on consecutive days. The timing, so close to peak festival activity, raised immediate suspicions, though officials haven’t directly linked the sabotage to the Cannes Film Festival or its guests. Still, the choice of moment—when thousands of international visitors, journalists, and industry insiders were crammed into the city—gave the blackout even more impact.
As fear of more disruptions spread, local authorities responded quickly. Patrols near substations and power lines ramped up. Surveillance cameras, previously meant to deter cable theft or vandalism, are now on the lookout for more sophisticated threats. Power company staff are coordinating with law enforcement, and communications have ramped up to keep residents in the loop. Authorities also put out a call for watchfulness, urging everyone living in the area to report any unusual activity around energy infrastructure.
People living in the region know the value of stability—especially when so many livelihoods depend on tourism and the smooth running of headline-grabbing events. For many locals, the idea that someone could switch off an entire city—let alone the world’s most glamorous film festival—has forced a new kind of vigilance. France has seen isolated incidents of energy sabotage in the past, but hits on this scale, with hundreds of thousands going dark, mark a new chapter.
Meanwhile, festival organizers powered through the chaos. Backup generators hummed to life, and impromptu candlelit gatherings popped up across hotel lobbies and outdoor bars. But questions linger. How long until the next attempt? And who’s behind the push to destabilize essential services in the heart of the Riviera?
