A scandal that never happened and one big charity night.

It’s not surprising that on day 9 of the festival exhaustion sets in among critics and audiences alike. Even though Cannes did a very good job spacing out the highlights this year, at this point no one can keep up the pace. Too many hours spent waiting in line to get into a screening, too many interviews and appointments all taking place at the same time, not enough sleep. The athletic event of the day was the mad dash for seats at the press screening of Gaspar Noé’s LOVE in the tiny Salle Bazin. Many were inevitably disappointed by not getting into the highly anticipated midnight premiere. There was a chance to make up in the morning, but for many reporters it’s a matter of pride to be the first to see a film. In the end there was not much love for LOVE but not much hate, either. Everyone seemed confused: this was supposed to be the most controversial film of the festival and given Noe’s previous work, we expected nothing less. Yet many nodded off during the first hour, were divided over its content and/or are not sure U.S. audiences will get to see the same cut. Meantime post-screening tweets were lukewarm as illustrated by the following :

Guy Lodge ‏@GuyLodge 13h13 hours ago”LOVE is surprisingly tame.”
“Noé!” “No, really!”
Others, were outright jaded as in this exchange overheard after the credit roll:

Journo 1: Bravo! [looks around] What’s wrong – not joining in the standing ovation?
Journo 2: Maybe later.

Some felt they were cheated out of the payoff. Or climax. Or whatever you want to call it. Except for one scene the anticipated and – by some dreaded – violence that Noe is famous for never happened. And in Europe violence still causes more scandal than sex. (Only in the U.S. is it the other way around). To many the film felt more like a tender love story gone wrong than a violent sex film. Boring? Maybe. Or just a Director growing up.

Meantime far away from the Palais du Festival, the annual amfAR gala got underway at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc. Last year the charity event broke all previous records when the wealthiest people in the world gathered in the one huge tent and raised an astonishing 35 million dollars for AIDS research. At that event Damien Hirst’s gilded woolly mammoth art piece raised $15 million for the charity, last night it was a monumental “Coloring Book” sculpture by Jeff Koons that brought out the wallets: the Coloring Book, which has never seen an auction, is the most valuable artwork ever to be auctioned off for charitable purposes. It went for a staggering $13.4 million and was bought by Russian billionaire Leonard Blavatnik, the same man who acquired the woolly mammoth last year. Leonardo DiCaprio donated a work from his personal collection by British street artist Banksy bought for $1.1 million. Another two highlights: a Pablo Picasso sketch that raised $781,000, and a Fernando Botero sculpture that went for $2.23 million.

Most of the famous names refused to bid. Said Antonio Banderas to the AP: “I don’t think so. I’m coming out of a very strong divorce”.Mary J.Blige excited the guests at first with her performance of “Family Affair” and then disappointed by leaving the stage after five minutes even though the crowd chanted ‘Encore! Encore!’. She was followed by the Imagine Dragons who played a whole set. The after-party on the terrace of the Eden Roc continued ‘til the sun came up with John C. Reilley – who has 3 films here – dancing for hours. The auction raised $30 million, just $5 million short of last year’s record breaker.
Elisabeth Sereda
Enjoy the following photos from the amfAR’s 22nd Cinema Against AIDS Gala held at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 21, 2015 in Cap d’Antibes, France:

Jury member Jake Gyllenhaal (in Ferragamo) talks with a reporter

Sienna Miller (in Ralph Lauren Collection)

Eva Longoria looks serious even with the plunging neckline

Marion Cotillard in green satin

Michelle Rodriguez out-shined everyone with her perfect style all week
but tonight she is our best dressed by far in this elegant red gown

As much as Rodriguez is a hit, Diane Kruger is a miss in this doll-like frock…

…and so is Dita Von Teese, dressed like a Russian babushka.

Mary J.Blige is gorgeous in white, as is Zoe Kravitz