The Cannes Film Festival of this year commenced in French Riviera on May 14. On day 4, the Palais entry to the event was momentarily closed due to a bomb scare involving an object that festival officials described as "suspicious." Police blocked pedestrians from crossing the street in either direction, closing it off outside the Palais.

Bomb scare at Cannes Film Festival

A specialized police squad was seen in the middle of the crossing, looking through a backpack. After the police had finished their investigation and were confident the area was secure, both the Palais entrance and La Croisette were reopened at 3.10 p.m. local time.

A woman manning the Information Desk at the Marche told Variety, “There was something they thought was a bomb, but there was no bomb. They closed the street when I was going to lunch, but then I heard it’s open again by the time I came back.”

The incident transpired immediately following the conclusion of a showing of Yolande Zauberman's The Belle From Gaza. That film has proven to be a hot-button title because it centres on trans-Palestinians who travel from Gaza to Tel Aviv in order to live out their actual selves. However, The Belle From Gaza was taking place in a theatre that wasn't part of the Marche and Palais complex.

What to expect from Cannes 2024?

A 10-day stream of stars began flowing down Cannes’ famous red carpet beginning with the opening night film, The Second Act, a French comedy starring Lea Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel and Raphaël Quenard. In the days to come, Cannes premiered George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed Megalopolis and anticipated new movies from Paolo Sorrentino, Yorgos Lanthimos, Andrea Arnold and Kevin Costner.

Stars to walk the carpet included Emma Stone, Anya Taylor-Joy, Demi Moore, Selena Gomez, Nicolas Cage and Barry Keoghan. At the closing ceremony on May 25, George Lucas is to receive an honorary Palme d’Or.