A star-studded Cannes gala attended by the likes of Kylie Minogue and Janet Jackson has raised a record-breaking nine million euros ($11 million) for AIDS research, organisers said Friday.
Kirsten Dunst, Zac Efron, Alec Baldwin and Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld were among the 980 glitterati at the event held Thursday night on the sidelines of the Riviera film festival by the American AIDS research foundation amfAR.
Organised in Antibes, just down the coast from Cannes, the gala also brought together US producer Harvey Weinstein and Cannes juror Diane Kruger as well as Paris Hilton and Antonio Banderas.
Among star lots at the fundraiser, two guests paid 850,000 euros to star in a short film shot by Lagerfeld, an Andy Warhol lithograph of Marilyn Monroe went for 600,000 euros, and a chopper motorcycle for 160,000 euros.
Last year's event, the biggest of its kind in Europe, raised seven million euros and was attended by Monaco's Prince Albert II and his then bride-to-be Charlene Wittstock and a galaxy of other celebrities.
AmfAR supports HIV research, prevention, treatment, education and the advocacy of AIDS-related public policy. Since 1993, the event has raised some 64 million euros.
