Reporting from Cannes, France — Chandeliers adorned the tables of this year’s amfAR gala, the fundraiser held at the tail-end of the Cannes Film Festival for the last 25 years, ornate centerpieces with glowing lampshades and crystal beading. But all of them were tilted, as if they had fallen from the sky, or survived a cataclysmic event.
It was a decorative choice that represented far more than was intended. Until this year, Harvey Weinstein had been a fixture at the gala, and the festival, and both still shook with the impact of his fall.
Though the event, begun by Elizabeth Taylor in an effort to raise money for the fight against AIDS, was outwardly as glamorous as ever, the atmosphere at the luxurious Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc was off-kilter. Yes, guests enjoyed cocktails by an antique Bentley, an Ai Weiwei sculpture and a metal tree the branches of which held champagne flutes, and during dinner, Sting and Grace Jones performed sets between a high-stakes auction, where a painting of Bob Dylan by the actor Pierce Brosnan fetched 1.2 million euros.
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Scene inside the tent at this year’s amfAR gala at Cannes.
(Amy Kaufman / Los Angeles Times )
And yes, there were celebrities in attendance: Milla Jovovich, Ava DuVernay, Adrien Brody, Benicio Del Toro. But the majority of the charity’s 25 female honorary chairs — Katy Perry, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Hudson — didn’t show. “Leo isn’t even here,” was the most common lament from wealthy partygoers, many of whom pay thousands of dollars just to gawk at big names, including DiCaprio, who is such a staple at the event that he typically hosts an after-party down the road.
Adrien Brody and Milla Jovovich attend the amfAR gala.
(Pascal Le Segretain / WireImage for amfAR )
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The lack of star power at amfAR was just one indication of the complicated impact the Weinstein scandal and #MeToo have had on Cannes and Hollywood. For years, the disgraced movie executive did fundraising for amfAR, urging his famous friends -- DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, Jay-Z — to attend the event with him. He often stayed at the du Cap, allegedly using its suites to prey on actresses such as Asia Argento, who claims Weinstein raped her at the hotel in 1997.
A charge she reiterated two days after this year’s amfAR gala in a searing speech delivered at the festival’s closing ceremony.
“This festival was his hunting ground,” said Argento, who was on hand to present the actress award. “Even tonight, sitting among you, there are those who still have to be held accountable for their conduct against women, for behavior that does not belong in this industry, does not belong in any industry or workplace. You know who you are. But most importantly, we know who you are. And we’re not going to allow you to get away with it any longer.”
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Her battle cry came at the end of a festival that was clearly — like much of Hollywood — struggling to find its place in the post-#MeToo era. In March, Cannes director Thierry Frémaux said it was “not the festival’s role to organize #MeToo events.”
But a few days after Cannes launched, he did an about-face, taking part in a red carpet march where 82 women from the film industry — including jury president Cate Blanchett, Agnes Varda and Salma Hayek — came together to make a public statement about the need for gender equality in the movie business. Frémaux and other Cannes organizers also signed a pledge promising to work towards gender parity behind the scenes and to become more transparent about the way in which the festival selects the films it will screen.
Just three female filmmakers were in competition for the coveted Palme d’Or this year, and while the jury (which included five women and four men) bestowed awards on two of their films, the top prize ultimately went to a man: Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. Jane Campion is the only woman who has won the prize in the festival’s 71-year history — and even she shared the award in a tie with a man, Chen Kaige.
Kristen Stewart, from left, Lea Seydoux, Khadja Nin, Ava DuVernay, Cate Blanchett, Agnes Varda and Celine Sciamma walk the red carpet in protest of the lack of female filmmakers honored throughout the history of Cannes.
(Lois Venance / AFP / Getty Images )
Festival organizers, meanwhile, invited Lars von Trier — who was declared “persona non grata” in 2011 after saying at a press conference that he understood and sympathized with Hitler — to screen his new film, “The House that Jack Built.” The movie, which stars Matt Dillon as a serial killer who victimizes actresses such as Uma Thurman, contained so much extreme violence against women that it prompted dozens of filmgoers to walk out of the premiere screening and generated scathing reviews.
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Cannes also screened “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” from Terry Gilliam, who in March compared #MeToo to “mob rule.”
Terry Gilliam stands on his chair to acknowledge applause at the premiere of his film at Cannes this year.
(Valery Hache / AFP / Getty Images )
“Harvey opened the door for a few people, a night with Harvey — that’s the price you pay,” Gilliam said in an interview with the Agence France-Presse, prompting outrage from stars such as Ellen Barkin and Judd Apatow. “It is a world of victims. I think some people did very well out of meeting with Harvey and others didn’t. The ones who did knew what they are doing. These are adults; we are talking about adults with a lot of ambition.”
There were signs of progress — Jessica Chastain pitched her independently produced spy thriller “355,” which costars international actresses including Lupita Nyong’o and Penelope Cruz, to distributors, promptly securing high-priced deals across the globe (including Universal in the US).
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Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-Eda poses with his trophy during a photocall after he won the Palme d’Or for the film “Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazoku)” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
(Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images)
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Director Spike Lee poses with his Grand Prix for the film “BlacKkKlansman” during a photocall after his win during the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
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Samal Yeslyamova poses with the actress award for her role in “Ayka (The Little One),” left, and Marcello Fonte poses with the actor award for his role in “Dogman” at the photocall at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
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French actress and member of the Feature Film Jury Lea Seydoux arrives on stage during the closing ceremony of the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
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Director Charles William accepts the Palme d’Or short film award for “All These Creatures” on stage during the closing ceremony.
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Director Pawel Pawlikowski poses on stage with jury member Kristen Stewart and director Abderrahmane Sissako as he receives the best director award for “Cold War (Zimna Wojna)” during the closing ceremony.
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Laureates and jury members pose on stage during the closing ceremony of the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
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Cinematographer Fabrice Aragno, right, displays the special Palme d’Or award on behalf of director Jean-Luc Godard, on screen, for his film “The Image Book” during the closing ceremony of the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
(Vianney Le Caer / Invision/AP)
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Italian actress Asia Argento raises her fist as she arrives for the Cannes Film Festival’s closing ceremony and the screening of the film “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.”
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images)
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Un Certain Regard performance winner Victor Polster -- for his role in “Girl” -- poses with the Camera d’Or winning director Lukas Dhont at a press conference during the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
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Director Nadine Labaki, winner of the Jury Prize award for “Capharnaum,” attends a press conference.
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A man dressed as the Mask walks on the Croisette during the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
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Iranian actress Solmaz Panahi, right, who represents her father, Jafar Panahi, and Italian director Alice Rohrwacher pose with the trophy they jointly won for best screenplay prize, respectively, for the films “3 Faces (Se Rokh)” and “Lazzaro Felice (Happy as Lazzaro).”
(Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images)
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Shaggy performs on the red carpet during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals.
(Matthias Nareyek / Getty Images)
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Sting performs on the red carpet as jury members and award winners, behind, look on during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals.
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Swiss director and President of the Camera d’Or jury Ursula Meier, center, poses with Belgian director and Camera d’Or winner (for “Girl”) Lukas Dhont, right, and Belgian actor Victor Polster.
(Anne-Christine Poujoula / AFP/Getty Images)
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Director Pawel Pawlikowski holds the director award for the film “Cold War” during a photo call following the awards ceremony at Cannes.
(Arthur Mola / Invision/AP)
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Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, Kirin Kiki, Jyo Kairi, Lily Franky, Miyu Sasaki, Sakura Ando and Mayu Matsuoka pose during the photocall for “Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazoku)” at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
(Franck Robichon/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wears a Michael Cinco butterfly gown at the premiere of “Girls of the Sun.”
(Arthur Mola / Invision/AP)
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Actress Vanessa Paradis attends “Knife + Heart (Un Couteau Dans Le Coeur)” photocall during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals.
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Actress Kate Moran, left, director Yann Gonzalez, actress Vanessa Paradis and actor Nicolas Maury pose upon arrival at the premiere of “Knife + Heart” at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
(Vianney Le Caer / Invision/AP)
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French police pose on the red carpet during the screening of “Knife + Heart (Un Couteau dans le Coeur)” at the Cannes Film Festival.
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Actor Gary Oldman arrives for the premiere of “Capharnaum.”
(Vianney Le Caer / Invision/AP)
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Pierce Brosnan arrives at the amfAR 25th Cinema Against AIDS gala at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes, southern France, during the 71th Cannes Film Festival.
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images)
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Maria Borges, left, Danielle Herrington, Shanina Shaik, Fatou Jobe, guest and Lais Ribeiro attend the cocktail party at the amfAR Gala.
(Emma McIntyre / Getty Images for Pernod / amfAR)
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Heidi Klum, Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima attend the amfAR Gala Cannes 2018 dinner at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes, France.
(Anthony Ghnassia / Getty Images for Chopard / amfAR)
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Milla Jovovich and Ava DuVernay attend the auction dinner of the Cinema Against AIDS amfAR gala 2018 held at the Hotel du Cap, Eden Roc in Cap d’Antibes, France.
(Sebastien Nogier / EPA-EFE/REX/Shuterstock)
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Corey Hawkins and Nathalie Emmanuel attend the auction dinner of the Cinema Against AIDS amfAR gala 2018.
(Sebastien Nogier / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Michelle Rodriguez conducts the auction of the Cinema Against AIDS amfAR gala 2018.
(Sebastien Nogier / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Model Heidi Klum, center, and actor Benicio Del Toro conduct an auction with Swiss art auctioneer Simon de Pury during the amfAR 25th Cinema Against AIDS gala.
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images)
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Singer Jason Derulo poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR, Cinema Against AIDS, benefit at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, during Cannes.
(Joel C Ryan / Invision/AP)
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Paris Hilton poses upon arrival at the amfAR, Cinema Against AIDS, benefit at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
(Joel C Ryan / Invision/AP)
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British actress Nathalie Emmanuel arrives for the amfAR 25th Annual Cinema Against AIDS gala at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images)
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Milla Jovovich attends the cocktail party at the amfAR Gala Cannes 2018 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
(Anthony Ghnassia / Getty Images for Chopard / amfAR)
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Actor Paul Bettany, director Ron Howard, producer Kathleen Kennedy, actor Woody Harrelson, actor Alden Ehrenreich, actress Emilia Clarke, actor Donald Glover, actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, actress Thandie Newton, actor Joonas Suotamo, writer Jon Kasdan, producer Simon Emanuel and writer Lawrence Kasdan pose as they leave the Festival Palace after the screening of the film “Solo : A Star Wars Story” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images)
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Finnish actor Joonas Suotamo, British actress Thandie Newton, US actor Woody Harrelson, US director Ron Howard, British actress Emilia Clarke, actor Alden Ehrenreich, actor Donald Glover and Chewbacca pose as they arrive for the screening of the film “Solo : A Star Wars Story.”
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images)
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Winnie Harlow wears a metallic Jean-Louis Sabaji Couture gown at the premiere of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” at the Cannes Film Festival.
(Arthur Mola / Invision/AP)
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Finnish actor Joonas Suotamo who plays Chewbacca poses with Chewbacca as they arrive with actor Woody Harrelson, director Ron Howard, British actress Emilia Clarke, actor Alden Ehrenreich, actor Donald Glover and British actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge for the screening of the film “Solo : A Star Wars Story.”
(Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images)
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Donald Glover, right, and Alden Ehrenreich arrive for the screening of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” during the 71st Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France.
(Franck Robichon/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Thandie Newton, left, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover attend the photocall for “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
(Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images)
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British actor Paul Bettany, British actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Finnish actor Joonas Suotamo, British actress Thandie Newton, US actor Woody Harrelson, British actress Emilia Clarke, actor Alden Ehrenreich, actor Donald Glover and Chewbacca pose during a photocall for the film “Solo : A Star Wars Story.”
(Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images)
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Japanese writer and actor Lily Franky, left, Japanese actress Miyu Sasaki, Japanese actress Sakura Ando, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-Eda, Japanese actress Kirin Kiki, Japanese actress Jyo Kairi and Japanese actress Mayu Matsuoka pose as they arrive for the screening of the film “Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazoku).”
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images)
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IMDb Founder and CEO Col Needham speaks to guests at IMDb’s 2018 Cannes Dinner Party during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Table 22.
(Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images for IMDb)
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Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux, left, artistic director and co-president of Chopard Caroline Scheufele, 2018 Trophee Chopard laureates Joe Alwyn and Elizabeth Debicki, and Diane Kruger on stage at the Trophee Chopard during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France.
(Anthony Ghnassia / Getty Images for Chopard)
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Actor Matt Dillon, left, actress Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Danish director Lars Von Trier, Swiss actor Bruno Ganz and Danish actress Sofie Grabol pose as they arrive for the screening of the film “The House That Jack Built.”
(Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images)
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French actress and film director Andrea Bescond, left, and French actress Carole Franck as they arrive for the screening of their film “Little Tickles (Les Chatouilles).”
(Loic Venance / AFP/Getty Images)
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Director Spike Lee gestures while leaving following the screening of his film “BlacKkKlansman” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
(Lois Venance / AFP/Getty Images)
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Director Spike Lee leaves the screening of “BlacKkKlansman” during the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
(Ian Langsdon/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Actors John David Washington, left, Damaris Lewis, Jasper Paakkonen, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace, director Spike Lee, actors Adam Driver and Corey Hawkins arrive at the premiere of the film “BlacKkKlansman.”
(Joel C Ryan / Invision/AP)
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Canadian model Winnie Harlow arrives for the screening of the film “BlacKkKlansman.”
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Singer Nicole Scherzinger waves as she arrives for the screening of the film “BlacKkKlansman.”
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French actress Suzanne Rault-Balet, left, French actress Sarah Calcine, French actor Guillaume Kerbusch and French actor Jean-Baptiste Sagory arrive for the screening of the film “BlacKkKlansman.”
(Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images)
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Chris Tucker arrives for the screening of “BlacKkKlansman” during the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
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Actress and member of the feature film jury Kristen Stewart removes her shoes on the red carpet as she arrives for the screening of the film “BlacKkKlansman” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
(Antonin Thuillier / AFP/Getty Images)
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Francois-Henry Pinault, left, Patty Jenkins, Carla Simon, Pierre Lescure and Thierry Fremaux pose with the Women in Motion Award at Place de la Castre in Cannes, France.
(Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images)
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Farida Khelfa, Natalia Vodianova, Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell and Marpessa Hennink attend Fashion for Relief during the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
(John Phillips / Getty Images)
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Maria Borges, left, Bella Hadid, Naomi Campbell and Natalia Vodianova walk the runway at Fashion for Relief show during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Aeroport Cannes Mandelieu in Cannes, France.
(Arnold Jerocki / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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(FromL) Japanese writer and actor Lily Franky, Japanese actress Miyu Sasaki, Japanese actress Sakura Ando and Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-Eda pose as they arrive on May 13, 2018 for the screening of the film “Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazoku)” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. / AFP PHOTO / Alberto PIZZOLIALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (ALBERTO PIZZOLI / AFP/Getty Images)
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Michelle Rodriguez walks the runway at the Fashion for Relief show during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Aeroport Cannes Mandelieu in Cannes, France.
(Arnold Jerocki / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Diane Kruger attends the screening of “Sink or Swim (Le Grand Bain)” during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals.
(Matthias Nareyek / Getty Images)
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Jury member Kristen Stewart poses for photographers upon arrival at the Kering Women in Motion awards.
(Vianney Le Caer /Invision/Associated Press)
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President of the rury Cate Blanchett poses for photographers upon arrival at the Kering Women in Motion awards.
(Vianney Le Caer / Invision/Associated Press)
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Melita Toscan du Plantier, left, and Matt Dillon attend the Kering Women in Motion Awards dinner party during the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
(Clemens Bilan / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Italian model and musician Carla Bruni arrives for the screening of the film “Sink or Swim (Le Grand Bain).”
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images)
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Benicio del Toro attends the Kering Women in Motion Awards dinner party during the 71st Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France.
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Actress Jane Fonda arrives for the screening of the film “Sink or Swim (Le Grand Bain).”
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Actress Araya Hargate poses as she arrives for the screening of the film “Sink or Swim (Le Grand Bain).”
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French actress Marion Cotillard poses as she arrives for the screening of the film “Sink or Swim (Le Grand Bain).”
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Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen and Hanne Jacobsen arrive for the screening of “Arctic” during the 71st Cannes Film Festival in France.
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Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, left, and Brazilian director Joe Penna arrive for the screening of “Arctic.”
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Icelandic actress Maria-Thelma Smaradottir arrives for the screening of “Arctic.”
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Writer Ryan Morrison, director Joe Penna, actress Maria Thelma Smáradóttir, guest, Hanne Jacobsen, actor Mads Mikkelsen and guests attend the screening of “Arctic” during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals.
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French actress and Jury Member Lea Seydoux arrives for the screening of “Cold War.”
Actress Chloe Sevigny arrives for the screening of “Cold War (Zimna Wojna).”
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Actress and President of the Jury Cate Blanchett poses as she arrives for the screening of “Cold War (Zimna Wojna)” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
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Amber Heard arrives for the screening of “Sorry Angel (Plaire, Aimer et Courir Vite)” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
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French actress Adele Wismes, left, French director Christophe Honore and French actor Vincent Lacoste leave the screening of “Sorry Angel (Plaire, Aimer et Courir Vite)” at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
(Sebastien Nogier / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
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Brazilian director Joe Penna, left, Icelandic actress Maria-Thelma Smaradottir and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen pose during a photocall for the film “Arctic.”
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French soldiers of the Sentinel Operation patrol outside the Festival Palace during the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
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Russian producer Ilya Stewart, French producer Charles-Evrard Tcherkhoff, Russian director of photography Vladislav Opeliants, Russian actor Roma Zver, Russian actress Irina Starshenbaum and German actor Teo Yoo pose as they arrive for the screening of the film “Leto (Summer).”
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Kenyan actress Sheila Munyiva, Kenyan actress Samantha Mugatsia and Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu arrive for the screening of the film “Rafiki”.
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Julianne Moore arrives for the screening of “Yomeddine”.
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Julianne Moore signs autographs for festival goers as she arrives for the screening of the film “Yomeddine.”
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Egyptian director A.B Shawky, left, and his wife producer Elisabeth Shawky-Arneitz pose as they arrive for the screening of the film “Yomeddine.”
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Christoph Waltz attends the screening of “Yomeddine” at Palais des Festivals.
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Actress Penelope Cruz and her husband actor Javier Bardem pose for a photocall for the film “Todos Lo Saben (Everybody Knows)” during Cannes.
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Un Certain Regard jury member Virginie Ledoyen poses for photographers during a photocall.
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Actress Carey Mulligan poses for photographs for the film “Wildlife”.
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Actor and President of the Un Certain Regard jury Benicio Del Toro poses for photos.
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Celina Jade attends the Chopard Gentleman’s Evening at Hotel Martinez.
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Actor Marion Cotillard, model Leomie Anderson and model Petra Nemcova attend the Chopard Gentleman’s Evening at Hotel Martinez.
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Jury President and Australian actress Cate Blanchett attends a press conference.
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Director Martin Scorsese acknowledges applause from French directors Jacques Audiard and Cedric Klapisch after receiving from the French Association of Filmmakers the Carosse d’Or 2018 award (Golden Coach Award 2018).
(Yann Coatsaliou / AFP/Getty Images)
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A guest arrives for the screening of the film “Leto (Summer)”.
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Christoph Waltz, left, and Caroline Scheufele arrive for the screening of “Yomeddine”.
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Catrinel Menghia arrives for the screening of ‘Yomeddine’.
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A guest opens a sign reading: ‘Free Serebrennikov” as he arrives for the screening of “Leto”.
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The cast from the movie hold a sign to free director Kirill Serebrennikov as they arrive for the screening of “Leto.”
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German actor Teo Yoo shows an image of Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov as he arrives with his other cast members for the screening of “Leto”.
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Director and screenwriter and member of the Feature Film Jury Ava DuVernay, actress and President of the Jury Cate Blanchett and Burundian singer and member of the Feature Film Jury Khadja Nin pose on the balcony of the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez on the eve of the opening ceremony.
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty Images)
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Workers set up the official poster of the 71st Cannes Film Festival on the Palais des Festivals facade. The poster displays a photogram of French actors Anna Karina and Jean-Paul Belmondo.
(Sebastien Nogier / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock)
But there were also reminders of how slow the industry has been to adapt — during a Women in Motion event, designed to bring more women into the cinematic conversation, Carey Mulligan was asked: “In an era of #MeToo, how would you react to someone saying you were very beautiful?”
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It all underscored the uncertain future Hollywood faces when it comes to implementing change, and how many in the business are still grappling with how to discuss sensitive topics.
Promoting his mobster flick “Gotti,” John Travolta said he honestly didn’t “know a ton about” #MeToo because he tries to view genders and races equally.
“Protest is valid. But how do you measure — how do you differentiate the moment where it becomes invalid?” said the actor. “It’s an art, almost, to say, ‘OK, let’s protest, but we’ve achieved that here and these particular rights. Now, let’s get smart about how we use that … protest so it doesn’t get into an irrational perspective.’”
John Travolta addresses the crowd at the party for his new film “Gotti,” where Brett Ratner was spotted.
(Amy Kaufman / Los Angeles Times )
And who turned up at the party to celebrate Travolta’s new mobster flick — held, where else but, at the du Cap? Brett Ratner, who was accused of sexual impropriety by 11 women in The Times in November. The filmmaker was not part of any Cannes program but was spotted at a number of festival events.
Even the highly visible amfAR gala had moments that seemed completely out of step. After a fashion show in which 31 women modeled designers such as Balmain, Chanel and Versace, the dresses were put up for auction.
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Former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld, who curated the styles, attempted to up the bidding by asking: “How much would you pay for a special kiss from all the girls?”
“31 kisses! That could take a long, long, long, time,” auctioneer Simon de Pury replied. “All of these ladies are waiting eagerly for you.”
Czech model Karolina Kurkova kisses the winner of an auction at the afAR gala.
(Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty Images )
The collection ultimately went for 1.6 million euros, and the “lucky” male bidder was asked by de Pury to “come to the front and collect all of [his] kisses.” Top models including Winnie Harlow and Alessandra Ambrosio gave the winner kisses on the cheek before exiting the stage.
It remains to be seen how much money the amfAR gala ultimately generated, though in years past the sum has been upwards of $30 million. The organization itself has seen its fair share of tumult post-Weinstein, when it was alleged that Weinstein funneled donations from the 2015 Cannes gala to a Boston-based theater production of “Finding Neverland” that Weinstein was workshopping. The New York attorney general reviewed the charity’s governance and chairman Kenneth Cole resigned.
“There’s been bad publicity, unfortunately,” Jovovich, who has been attending the annual Cannes gala since 1998, told The Times. “But this is an important cause, and we need to come out and support, especially after what happened, because one bad apple shouldn’t ruin this bunch.”
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Heidi Klum and Benicio Del Toro attend this year’s amfAR gala.
(Sebastien Nogier / EPA-EFE / REX / Shu )
Honorary chair Heidi Klum, who hosts “Project Runway,” which Weinstein executive produced, insisted that the future of the fundraiser would not be overshadowed by the mogul’s misdeeds.
“It wasn’t really his event,” said the model, who once presented on the amfAR stage with Weinstein. “I’m sure he got a lot of people to come. But as you see, people still come here. It’s the hottest ticket once again.”
Amy Kaufman is a columnist at the Los Angeles Times, where she writes the A-1 column “For Real With Amy Kaufman.” The series examines the lives of icons, underdogs and rising stars to find out who the people are shaping our culture — for real. Since joining The Times in 2009, she has profiled hundreds of influential figures including Stevie Nicks, Nick Cannon, Drew Barrymore and Lady Gaga. She is also an investigative reporter and was part of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist team that covered the tragic shooting on the “Rust” film set. Her work often shines a light on the darker side of the entertainment business, and she has uncovered misconduct allegations against Randall Emmett and Russell Simmons. In 2018, her book “Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure” became a New York Times bestseller.
