AMFAR CINEMA AGAINST AIDS GALA (Photos) – The 2012 amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala raised nearly $11 million for the fight against AIDS, a record-breaking total for amfAR.  This annual star-studded event, held in conjunction with the Cannes International Film Festival, took place May 24 at the famed Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France.

Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, Milla Jovovich, Alec Baldwin, Bérénice Bejo, Michel Hazanavicius, Harvey Weinstein, Carine Roitfeld, Karl Lagerfeld,  amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, Milutin Gatsby, Diane Kruger, Joshua Jackson, Heidi Klum, Gerard Butler, Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, Adrien Brody, Petra Nemcova, Rodrigo Santoro, Mallika Sherawat, Michelle Rodriguez, Aishwarya Rai, Asia Argento, Cheyenne Jackson, Liya Kebede, Julianna Margulies, Doutzen Kroes, Kelly Rutherford, Nina Dobrev, Joely Richardson, Chris Tucker, and Eva Herzigova were among those who attended the gala event.

The evening opened with a raucous performance by acclaimed indie-pop band fun., who played  their #1 hit “We Are Young,” and also featured a surprise: an impromptu performance by “I Need a Dollar” singer Aloe Blacc.

British R&B/pop sensation Jessie J’s set was a highlight of the night, getting the crowd out of their seats and dancing to her hit songs “Pricetag” and “Domino.”

For the first time ever, the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala included a fashion show, curated by iconic fashion editor Carine Roitfeld. The show featured top super models including Karolina Kurkova, Kate Upton, Lily Dolandson, Cora Emmanuel and Cara Delevingne in looks from designers Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel, Christian Dior Tailleur, Christopher Kane, Diane von Furstenberg, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Gucci, Joseph Altuzarra, Kenneth Cole, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Marchesa, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Valentino, and Versace.  The entire dream wardrobe was auctioned as a single lot that fetched €300,000.

Other auction items included the chance to star in a short film by fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, produced by Harvey Weinstein, which sold twice for a total of €850,000; a one-hour private tennis match with the world’s number one ranked men’s player Novak Djokovic, which sold for €90,000; a private photo shoot with famed fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh raised €90,000; a signed screen print of Andy Warhol’s iconic Marilyn 29, 1967 sold for €600,000; an original Damien Hirst piece entitled Beautiful Nectar Painting, 2007 fetched €700,000.  Motorcycle enthusiast Adrien Brody helped to auction off a stunning motorcycle commissioned by Redemption Choppers as a tribute to amfAR’s late founding International Chairman, the legendary Elizabeth Taylor, which raised €160,000.

The after party was presented by Super-Max and Rocky Malhotra, with artistic direction by Carl Hirschmann and Le Baron.  Sky Ferreira performed a high-energy set during the party.  In an exciting moment, Ferreira sang the introduction to Donna Summer’s “Last Dance,” which led into legendary DJ Giorgio Moroder, who is known for writing and producing many of Summer’s best-known hits, kicking off his set with the original Donna Summer recording. Other DJs included Michaelangelo L’Acqua and Peter Pan, who provided the music late into the night at the Eden-Roc, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

amfAR’s annual Cinema Against AIDS galas have been important and successful fundraising events for the Foundation for nearly two decades, generating more than $70 million for essential AIDS research.  Past events have been chaired by amfAR’s late Founding International Chairman Dame Elizabeth Taylor, who hosted the first Cinema Against AIDS gala in 1993, amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Sharon Stone, President Bill Clinton, Demi Moore, Sir Elton John and Madonna, among many others.

See the event pictures below: