A rooftop venue in Cannes was evacuated Wednesday night after a section of the floor gave way. The incident occurred at La Terrasse by Albane during a high-profile party, causing panic among celebrity guests.

Panic at the Variety 'Welcome to Cannes' Party

Approximately 250 guests were attending a Variety magazine event honoring festival director Thierry Fremaux when a "loud bang" signaled a structural failure. According to the report, the event was interrupted by a sensation of the building rumbling and moving, which led to screams and immediate evacuations of the rooftop space.

The disruption occurred during the annual film festival, which runs from May 12th to 23rd. While the party eventually continued in a different area of the terrace, the initial collapse created a scene of chaos among the movie industry's elite.

Overcrowding on the JW Marriott's Temporary Wooden Dais

The incident took place at La Terrasse by Albane , a temporary restaurant situated on the rooftop of the JW Marriott hotel. As reported, the partial collapse was linked to a temporary wooden dais that had become unsound due to excessive overcrowding.

The risk of overcrowding may have been anticipated, as organizers had previously emailed attendees with a warning that entry was "first come, first served" and not guaranteed once capacity was reached . Despite these warnings, the density of the crowd on the temporary structure apppears to have exceeded its safety limits.

From Diane Kruger to Mauro Colagreco: A High-Stakes Guest List

The event featured a concentrated gathering of Hollywood and industry power players, including actresses Diane Kruger and Jordana Brewster,as well as director Renny Harlin. Other high-ranking attendees included Oscars President Lynette Howell Taylor and Sony Pictures Classics executives Michael Barker and Tom Bernard.

The venue's prestige was further bolstered by the involvement of chef Mauro Colagreco, who runs the three-Michelin-starred Mirazur in Menton.. Colagreco's Mirazur was ranked as the best restaurant in the world in 2019, adding a layer of culinary exclusivity to the temporary rooftop setup managed by organizer Albane Cleret.

Terror Fears Amidst the Palais' Armed Police Presence

The structural failure triggered immediate fears of a security breach among some American guests, who initially suspected the collapse was a terrorist attack. This reaction is reflective of the heightened security environment in Cannes, where armed police in bulletproof vests patrol the streets.

Security measures at the festival are notoriously stringent, featuring airport-style scanners and rigorous bag checks at the entrance to the Palais. In this high-tension atmosphere, a sudden structural failure is easily mistaken for a deliberate act of violence.

Who Verified the Structural Integrity of La Terrasse?

While guest testimony points to overcrowding as the cause, it remains unclear who was responsible for the engineering sign-off on the temporary wooden dais. The report relies on partygoer accounts to explain the collapse, but there is no mention of an official safety inspection or a statement from the JW Marriott hotel regarding the structure's load capacity.

Furthermore, it is unknown if any injuries were sustained during the evacuation or if local building authorities have launched a formal investigation into the temporary installation's compliance with safety codes.