Cannes power cut threatens closing ceremony
Towns along the French Riviera were affected by a blackout on Saturday as VIPs flocked to the region.
Local media reports suggested that 'malicious acts' may be behind the cut, which caused chaos along a glamorous stretch of coast favoured by Hollywood actors and the mega-rich.
Mobile networks, 4G, traffic systems and train lines were all affected, making travel and communication difficult.
The headquarters of the festival switched to a backup power supply that organisers hoped would allow the closing ceremony to take place.
An official statement from the Cannes Film Festival said: 'A power outage is currently affecting the city of Cannes and surrounding areas. At this stage, the cause of the outage has not yet been identified. Restoration efforts are underway.
'The Palais des Festivals has switched to an independent power supply, allowing all scheduled events and screenings, including the closing ceremony, to proceed as planned and under normal conditions.'
The first signs of power trouble were seen ahead of a press conference with The Crown star John O'Connor, when a loud bang was heard in the festival building, before it was plunged into temporary darkness.
Power was briefly restored, but shortly after midday the electricity failed and locals struggled to use their mobile phones.
Guests of the festival were later seen paying for drinks and ice cream in cash as expensive local restaurants lost the use of card machines.
France Info, a radio network, has relayed unconfirmed reports that two 'malicious acts' took place along train lines in the Var region, to the west of Cannes, before the blackout.
Cannes bosses hope the reserve power at the Palais des Festivals will be sufficient for final screenings of films enjoying their premiere, and for the closing ceremony.
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