CANNES, France: From Cher to Demi Moore and Magic Johnson, the fashion and entertainment industry’s biggest names decamped to Antibes on Thursday night to raise money for AIDS research in one of the most luxurious, and secluded, settings on the French Riviera. This year’s gala, where a seat at dinner costs at least $25,000, marked the 30th edition of the glitzy charity gala organized by amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, that is held annually alongside the nearby Cannes Film Festival. Pop icon Cher, who helped cement the event as a must-attend party in its early years, was the evening’s main attraction, while Demi Moore, also an early supporter, opened the event.
Hollywood icons Costner and Demi Moore make Cannes comeback “This is close to my heart and this is not my first amfAR and I have been working for a long time with my friends,” Cher told Reuters on the red carpet ahead of her performance. The legendary singer and Oscar, Grammy and Emmy awards winner chaired the gala alongside Elizabeth Taylor, a founding member, in 1996, shortly after the event was first held in 1993. She was honoured with amfAR’s award of inspiration in 2015.
Other celebrities who walked the red carpet included Michelle Yeoh, Heidi Klum and her daughter Leni, Kelly Rowland, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Bella Thorne and Paris Jackson. With an eye to the gala’s 30th edition, Yeoh said she hoped that the next 30 years would make its driving cause redundant. “We want to eradicate.