Stars Unite at amfAR Gala, Raising Millions for AIDS Research in Canada
ANTIBES, France (AP) — Works by Adrien Brody and James Franco along with an opportunity to experience sitting front-row at a Knicks game alongside director Spike Lee were some of the notable attractions featured in the auction.
annual amfAR Gala
to fundraise for AIDS research.
Taking place at the renowned Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes on Thursday, the event drew numerous celebrities who were in town for the Cannes Film Festival. Attendees included Brody and Lee.
Colman Domingo,
Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, and Heidi Klum.
This year’s most sought-after items for sale encompassed a Dodge Charger from “Fast X,” which was previously owned by Rodriguez and fetched 475,000 euros ($536,843). Additionally, there were some pear-shaped yellow diamond earrings by Chopard that garnered 400,000 euros ($452,005) during the auction.
Throughout the dining experience, guests enjoyed musical entertainment provided by Ciara, who kicked off the evening, followed by Adam Lambert, and finally featuring Duran Duran as the main act. Many attendees danced out of their seats towards the front area near the stage to join in singing classic tracks such as “Notorious” and “A View to aKill.” This wasn’t the only nod to James Bond themes during the event.
The auction featured pieces from Brody—which fetched 375,000 euros ($423,755), including an opportunity to have lunch with the artist—and Franco—(which went for 325,000 euros ($367,254), also accompanied by a lunch invitation as part of the deal). A standout item was a George Condo painting dated May 2025, which garnered 1.15 million euros ($1.26 million).
Lee stepped onto the stage
And presented an unexpected item: a cameo role in his upcoming film. Midway through the auction, he threw in seats beside him court-side for a New York Knicks game next season, which boosted the final amount to 400,000 euros ($452,005).
The
fashion show
A consistent highlight of the auction organized by Carine Roitfeld, this year’s event had a James Bond theme. It featured 27 models who transformed the dining room center into a runway, walking through the space, greeting familiar faces among the attendees and pausing for photographs along their path. The entire collection sold for €450,000 ($508,505), with all proceeds going to support the charitable cause.
The Foundation for AIDS Research is a non-profit entity focused on supporting AIDS research, HIV prevention, educational initiatives regarding treatments, and advocacy efforts. Established in 1985, amfAR has garnered approximately $950 million (equivalent to about 841 million euros) to fund its projects and has provided over 3,800 grants to scientific groups around the globe.
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Louise Dixon has
covered the amfAR gala
Over the past ten years, some of the most notable lots sold at auctions include a soccer match featuring David Beckham and his pals, an exclusive dinner concert performed privately by Andrea Bocelli in his hometown, and a luncheon with Robert De Niro. These events together have generated over two million euros for charity.
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To read more about this year’s Cannes Film Festival, check out:
https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival
Louise Dixon, The Canadian Press