AmFar Cinema Against AIDS Celebrates its 22 Year

By Hillary Latos

Ironically, during the Cannes film festival, it's not just about films. It's a place where subtlety and restraint are left at home, and excess has no limits. Undoubtedly the most glamorous film festival in the world, the star wattage seems to culminate toward the end of the festival, when luminaries from the entertainment, fashion, and philanthropy worlds collide at the amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS, now in its 22nd year.

Sponsored by Bold Films, Harry Winston, Moet Hennessy, and the Weinstein Company, supermodels such as Karlie Kloss, Doutzen Kroes, Adriana Lima, and Joan Smalls arrived in style to walk a 47-piece designer black and white fashion show curated by Carine Roitfeld that was auctioned off for 800,000 Euros.

With a bottomless wallet, other priceless star-studded fantasy packages were auctioned off, including an intimate dinner for 12 hosted by Andrea Bocelli in his Miami or Tuscan estate (for 1 million Euro), dinner on a yacht in St. Tropez with Leonardo di Caprio for (250K Euro), or a package of tickets to the Golden Globes, Weinstein after party, CAA post-globes party, Spectre premiere, and photo shoot with Bradley Cooper (for 220 K Euro).

Undoubtedly, the hottest auction lot of the night was the Jeff Koons massive Coloring Book from his Celebration Series, which commanded a whopping winning bid of over $13 Million (12M Euros)—sold to Russian oligarch and Warner Music owner, Len Blavatnik (who also dropped $15 million on the Damian Hirst at the previous amFAR gala).

While celebs mingled during the dinner, the party was energized with electrifying performances by Charli XCX, Andrea Bocelli, Mary J Blige, and Imagine Dragons. To cap off the glamfest, which raised over 30 million Euros, Marc Ronson got the real party started downstairs as supermodels kicked off their heels and shimmied with A-listers while enjoying free flowing Moet champagne and Belvedere Vodka libations into the wee hours of the night.