Presented by Chopard and hosted by Academy Award winner Geena Davis, the black-tie benefit gathered a high-wattage crowd in Antibes, including Rami Malek, Eva Longoria, Heidi Klum, Rami Malek, Sofia Carson, Adrian Grenier, Paul Pogba, Laura Harrier, Bar Refaeli, Sara Sampaio, Lisa Rinna, Tara Reid, Caroline Scheufele, Brooks Nader and amfAR board members Alessandro Dusi, Kevin McClatchy, Olivia Tyson and Laurence Milstein.
Opening the evening, Davis framed the night around amfAR’s enduring goal: ending AIDS. “What once seemed impossible, a cure for HIV, is now within reach,” she told guests. “Tonight, we have gathered here to help make sure amfAR has the funds it needs to continue to charge the path toward that goal: an end to AIDS.”
The evening quickly shifted from reflection to performance as Lizzo took the stage, energizing the room with her new single “Don’t Make Me Love U” and her Grammy-winning hit “About Damn Time.” Later, Robbie Williams delivered a crowd-pleasing set that included “Let Me Entertain You,” “Rock DJ,” “Feel” and “Angels,” while Zara Larsson closed the night with a euphoric performance featuring “Midnight Sun,” “Blue Moon” and “Lush Life.”
Fashion, as ever, played a starring role. Longtime amfAR supporter Carine Roitfeld curated this year’s IDOLS Collection fashion show, a tribute to defining figures in film, art and music. The collection featured one-of-a-kind looks from houses including Acne Studios, Alaïa, Dolce & Gabbana, Dsquared2, Jacquemus, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Prada, Tom Ford, Vivienne Westwood, Saint Laurent and others, with all-latex couture by Atsuko Kudo and Haute Joaillerie creations by Chopard. Eva Longoria joined de Pury onstage to help auction the collection.
amfAR CEO Kyle Clifford also addressed the room, sharing how the organization’s research gave him hope after his own HIV diagnosis. “What makes amfAR truly unique is this: we are the first to say ‘yes,’” Clifford said. “We help launch the ideas and discoveries others are not yet ready to back.”
Kevin McClatchy, amfAR co-chair, underscored the gala’s historic impact, noting that the Cannes event alone has raised more than $300 million over three decades. “What we do in the next decade could define the future of the HIV epidemic,” he said.
Since Dame Elizabeth Taylor hosted the first amfAR Gala Cannes in 1993, the event has become one of the festival’s defining social fixtures. This year’s edition reaffirmed its place as a rare Cannes institution where cinema, fashion, music and philanthropy converge with measurable impact.