State-of-the-art security using artificial intelligence is being deployed at the Cannes Film Festival in a test for potential applications at the Paris Olympics two months later. Some 40,000 attendees – and some of the world's biggest movie stars – fly into the French Riviera for the festival from Tuesday to May 25.
The Cannes town hall has been asking to implement them since 2019 but has only been given permission thanks to changes in surveillance laws introduced for the Olympics that kick off in Paris in July, according to mayor David Lisnard. He said the town already had the "densest video protection network in France", with 884 cameras, one for every 84 residents.
There were concerns that mobilization for the Olympics would deprive the festival of police resources. But Paris authorities say they are sending some 400 security forces in addition to the 200 officers and 66 surveillance agents already in Cannes. The festival has a further 400 security guards around the main venue, the Palais des Festivals – not to mention the many private security agents employed at all the beach, villa and yacht parties.