Bomb scare briefly shuts down Cannes fest

The entrance to the Cannes Film Festival has been closed briefly due to a bomb scare.

According to media reports, the 77th Cannes Film Festival was rocked by a bomb scare on Saturday, leading to the temporary closure of the entrance to the Palais, the festival's main venue. 

The Cannes press office confirmed that there was a suspicious package found on the street but not inside the Palais.

The closure caused some disruption, and the entrance was reopened within a few hours.

The bomb scare comes amid heightened security measures during the festival. Visitors to the Palais must pass individually through a metal detector arch.

This is not the first time the Cannes Film Festival has been hit by a bomb scare. In 2017, an alleged bomb scare briefly delayed the Cannes film screening.

The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, attracting celebrities, filmmakers and professionals from all over the world.

The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival began on May 14 and runs until May 24, 2024.

AG/AG