Some 300 angry French electricity and gas workers briefly blacked out theatres at the Cannes film festival Tuesday during a protest march through the streets of the glitzy Riviera town. Squads of riot police kept demonstrators off the seaside Croisette boulevard but protestors briefly cut off power at a screening of "I love You Phillip Morris", attended by the stars of the movie, Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.
There were power cuts also at several of the international movie pavillions at Cannes. The protests were part of a day of action by national French gas and electricity trade unionists to protest at the part privatisation of the energy sector and demand wage increases.