A bomb threat forces the partial evacuation of the Palais des Festivals – Deadline

What at first appeared to some to be a bomb threat forced the partial evacuation of the main venue of the Cannes Film Festival, the Palais des Festivals, this afternoon. Police set up a security perimeter in the area surrounding the building, and shortly after 3 p.m. local time, a bomb squad destroyed a suspicious package outside, causing a small explosion, France Info reported. The alert was then canceled and the police tweeted a “return to normal”.

Previously, technicians and people inside the wing closest to the port, as well as the Debussy Theater on the right side of the Palace were evacuated, according to reports. Hong Sang-Soo entry to Cannes premiere In front of your face was to be screened in the Debussy from 3:00 a.m. However, there was no disruption in the main Lumière cinema where Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s competitive title Memory, which stars Tilda Swinton, has its official screening. Reports from those contacted by Deadline inside the Palace indicated that the red carpet went as planned.

Some people inside the Light also reported to Deadline that there was no disruption and that they had no difficulty accessing the auditorium, unless they did so from within. Where is. The screening of the film started on time.

✨#StepRed MEMORIA by Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL# Cannes2021 #Competition pic.twitter.com/8QcXNTuHt0

– Cannes Film Festival (@Festival_Cannes) July 15, 2021

Also according to France Info, a photocall scheduled for this afternoon has been canceled (although it is not known for which film) while the live broadcast of the festival’s official television channel has been temporarily suspended.

Contacted by Deadline, a festival representative said: “The incident is resolved.”

⚠️ Suspicious parcel in Cannes, in a technical room annexed to the back of the Palais des Festivals.
ℹ️This is not a bomb threat.
▶ ️ intervention by demining services in progress.
▶ ️ Please avoid the area, in order to facilitate operations.

– PréfetAlpesMaritimes (@ prefet06) July 15, 2021

ℹ️ End of the suspicious package alert in Cannes:
▶ ️ lifting of the security perimeter, following the intervention of deminers.
▶ ️ back to normal.

– PréfetAlpesMaritimes (@ prefet06) July 15, 2021

Cannes is drawing to a close on Saturday evening and despite the Covid situation, the case has so far been relatively stable. Earlier in the festival, however, thieves broke into Jodie Turner-Smith’s apartment and stole some of her jewelry. The incident saw Turner-Smith having to testify at a Cannes police station shortly after his film’s premiere.