Cannes Film Festival beefs up security after terror scares
The city is spending millions to bolster security as plans are being finalized for the world's biggest festival.
Mumbai: The Cannes Film Festival, which begins from May 17 and will be attended by Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Kristen Stewart, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Sofia Coppola, is ramping up security measures in the wake of recent terror attacks in France.
The city is spending millions to bolster security as plans are being finalized for the world's biggest festival, reported Variety.
The upcoming 70th edition will be the first Cannes Film Festival since the tragic attack in Nice when a terrorist ran a cargo truck through a crowd watching fireworks on Bastille Day, killing 85 people, just 18 miles away from Cannes.
The Nice attack took place on the Promenade des Anglais, which runs alongside the beach, like the Croisette in Cannes.
Cannes mayor David Lisnard, who commissioned an audit from Israeli counter-terrorism expert Nitzan Nuriel following the Paris attacks in November 2015, has taken strong measures to prevent a similar truck attack on the Croisette.
Substantial barriers, most in the form of huge concrete planters, were installed along the sidewalk which leads to the Palais, the headquarters for most Cannes premieres and festivities.
The city will also spend USD 6 million to place automatic retractable bollards at every entry point to the town, said Yves Darros, who heads up Cannes police.
Some stars will arrive with their own security staff, who would have to be cleared by Cannes authorities and the festival staff.