A man in his thirties sustained severe injuries on Saturday while strolling along the renowned Croisette promenade in Cannes after being hit by a palm tree that toppled due to strong winds.
Reports from local news sources suggest that the injured man was a Japanese producer who was in town for the Cannes Film Festival, although this has not been officially confirmed by Deadline.
The festival, now in its 78th year, is currently buzzing with activity, hosting over 15,000 film industry professionals who are there for business purposes. They are joined by numerous day visitors and tourists eager to catch a glimpse of the celebrity attendees.
Prominent celebrities present at the festival on Saturday included Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone. They were participating in a photo-call and press conference at the Palais des Festivals for Ari Aster’s movie “Eddington.”
According to reports from local journalists, the incident occurred near the Gray d’Albion beach around mid-morning when the palm tree was knocked down by a sudden strong wind.
An attendee of the festival, Marthy Fink, shared her experience with the news agency AFP, saying, “I was sitting when there was a terrible gust of wind. I heard a cry and turned around to see a palm tree had been uprooted.” She added, “It knocked the person to the ground, who was badly injured,” noting that the tree seemed to be in poor condition.
A small area of the Croisette near where the incident took place was still blocked off by late Saturday afternoon.
Daniel Hayes is a business journalist with a focus on market trends, startups, and corporate strategies.
His sharp analysis and investigative reports make complex financial topics accessible to all readers.
