Gerard Butler

A bidder who splashed out 100,000 Euros for a pair of Golden Globe tickets also won a date with  Gerard Butler as part of the package at a star-studded charity auction at the Cannes Film Festival.  The Scottish actor, prompted by writer-director Paul Haggis, had offered himself as a bonus to boost the bidding price on the tickets.

The auction, which included the chance to spend time with Lady Gaga, buy Bono’s autographed guitar or  a take a three-day trip to Haiti with Sean Penn, was part of a charity fundraiser for earthquake-ravaged Haiti and other causes.

“A film festival is not simply about films, ever,” Sean Penn told the audience. “This isn’t a film, what we’re doing now. It’s not a film when we stand outside and we take pictures for magazines. What it all has to do with is an expression and a shared experience.”

Sean Penn

Guests included actor-comedians Chris Rock and Ben Stiller _ at Cannes to plug the latest installment of animated trilogy Madagascar _ musicians Lyle Lovett and Sean “Diddy” Combs, Scottish actors  Butler and Ewan McGregor, German actress Diane Kruger, and Jessica Chastain _ starring in the John Hillcoat-directed “Lawless,” while also offering her voice to “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.”