Dubai Pearl’s 100 Person Team Makes Spontaneous $500,000 Donation. Event presented by The Dubai International Film Festival and Sponsored by Dubai Pearl. Cartier was Grand Patron. Event Chairs Salma Hayek, Goldie Hawn and Laura Linney along with Jeffrey Wright, Danny Glover, Harry and Pamela Belafonte, Preity Zinta, Oliver Stone, Terry Gilliam, Giancarlo Giannini, Pierfrancesco Favino and Anna Ferzetti helped raise $1.8 million for amfAR at its second annual Cinema Against AIDS gala in Dubai. The event was presented by The Dubai International Film Festival and sponsored by Dubai Pearl with Cartier as the Grand Patron. Dubai Pearl’s 100 person team stunned the audience by making a very generous $500,000 donation to amfAR just as Salma Hayek was preparing to open the evening’s live auction.
The evening opened earlier with heartfelt remarks by long-time amfAR supporter Goldie Hawn, who spoke about amfAR’s legacy and emphasized the importance of supporting the Foundation’s life-saving AIDS research programs. Later, amfAR’s CEO, Kevin Frost, spoke eloquently and in great detail about amfAR’s significant breakthroughs and assured guests that with the progress amfAR has made and continues to make, they should be more hopeful than ever about investing in AIDS research that will lead to a cure.
Actress, director, producer and philanthropist, Salma Hayek, then opened the bidding with auctioneer Rodman Primack of Philips de Pury. Hayek auctioned off a one-of-a-kind Cartier LOVE Handcuff, engraved on the interior with her autograph. The black alligator cuff, set in white gold paved with diamonds, locked with black ceramic screws, sold for $80,000. Later in the program, Hayek auctioned off a walk-on role on her Emmy Award-winning prime time TV hit Ugly Betty. The package, which included a personal meeting with her on set, sold for $35,000.
Other highlights of the auction included:
The Milan Fashion Extravaganza package, which sold for $25,000. The winning bidder will view the Fall/Winter 2009 collections of Roberto Cavalli, Alberta Ferretti, Fendi, Missoni, and Versace – some of the most coveted tickets during Milan Fashion Week.
The Terminator Salvation premiere package, auctioned off by Danny Glover, which consisted of the one-of a-kind “Mototerminator†which was the motorcycle featured prominently in the film T4, starring Christian Bale and directed by McG. The package also included tickets to the world premiere of the film and sold for $140,000.
A portrait of Marilyn Monroe from Bert Stern’s 1962 last sitting with the actress, which was auctioned off by Goldie Hawn and sold for $40,000. This original archival pigment print was signed by the photographer and dedicated to amfAR’s Cinema Against AIDS Dubai.
A luxurious tour of Asia sold for $35,000. This package included a trip to Hong Kong and Chiang Mai, courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Quintessentially.
To conclude the auction, Event Chair and recent Golden Globe nominee, Laura Linney, brought guests to their feet as she encouraged them to “stand up to AIDS†and bid on special edition amfAR engraved Cartier LOVE bracelets. Twenty five generous supporters were inspired by her plea and rose to the occasion.
amfAR’s annual Cinema Against AIDS galas have been important and successful fund-raising events for the Foundation since 1993, generating nearly $44 million for essential AIDS research. Past events have been hosted by Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, and Sir Elton John.
amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested nearly $275 million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide.
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