Stars Unite at amfAR Gala, Raising Millions for AIDS Research in Canada
Artwork by
Adrien Brody
and James Franco along with an opportunity to have a seatsideline experience at a Knicks game alongside the director
Spike Lee
were part of the glittering lineup at the yearly amfAR Gala aimed at raising funds for AIDS research.
Hosted at the renowned Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc in
Antibes
On Thursday, the event drew numerous celebrities to the region for the Cannes Film Festival. Attendees included Brody, Lee, Colman Domingo, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, and Heidi Klum.
The highlight of this year’s sales was a Dodge Charger from “Fast X,” which actor Rodriguez put up for auction, fetching 475,000 euros ($536,843). Also drawing significant attention were Chopard pear-shaped yellow diamond drop earrings, which garnered 400,000 euros ($452,005) during the bidding process.
While dining, guests enjoyed musical performances as well.
Ciara
, who kicked off the evening, was followed by Adam Lambert, who headlined the dinner alongside Duran Duran. Guests danced from their seats to gather near the stage and enthusiastically sang along to classics such as “Notorious” and “A View to aKill” (notably not the last James Bond tribute of the night).
The auction featured pieces from Brody — which went for 375,000 euros ($423,755), including an opportunity to have lunch with the artist as part of the deal — and Franco — selling for 325,000 euros ($367,254), similarly accompanied by a chance at having lunch with them. A standout item was a George Condo painting dated May 2025, fetching 1.15 million euros ($1.26 million).
Lee stepped onto the stage and presented an unexpected prize: a cameo role in his upcoming film. As the auction was ongoing, he threw in seats right beside him at a New York Knicks game next season, which pushed the final amount to 400,000 euros ($452,005).
A staple at the auction organized by Carine Roitfeld, this year’s fashion show had a James Bond theme. It featured 27 models who transformed the dining hall into their runway, greeting familiar faces and pausing for photographs as they walked through the space. The entire collection was sold as one lot, raising €450,000 ($508,505) for charitable purposes.
The Foundation for AIDS Research is a non-profit entity committed to supporting AIDS research, HIV prevention, educational initiatives on treatments, and advocacy efforts. Established in 1985, amfAR has amassed approximately $950 million (€841 million) in funding for its projects and has provided over 3,800 grants to scientific teams across the globe.
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Louise Dixon has been reporting on the amfAR gala for over ten years. Some of the most unforgettable lots she has witnessed being auctioned include a soccer match with David Beckham and his pals, an exclusive dinner concert performed by Andrea Bocelli at his own residence, and a meal shared with Robert De Niro—all of which together have garnered upwards of two million euros.
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To read more about this year’s Cannes Film Festival, click here:
https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival
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