Attendees included Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Brittany Snow, Lily Collins, Dustin Hoffman, Jeremy Renner, and more
Evening Sponsored by Renault-Nissan Alliance
Cannes, France, May 22, 2017 鈥 Last night, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) took center stage at the 2017 Festival de Cannes as they hosted their annual philanthropic celebration at Nikki Beach at the InterContinental Carlton. The evening benefited the 探花精选 (探花精选), a nonprofit organization that responds to the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crises and helps people who have been devastated by conflict and disaster to survive and rebuild their lives, to which the HFPA donated $500,000.
Jake Gyllenhaal accepted the donation on behalf of the 探花精选, which will go towards programs supporting refugees in greatest need.
Additional attendees included Adam Sandler, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ashley Benson, Ben Stiller, Brittany Snow, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Greta Gerwig, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Renner, Lily Collins, Molly Simms, Paul Dano, Tilda Swinton, Abhijay Prakash (Focus Features), Bob Berney (Amazon), David Glasser (The Weinstein Company), Jason Cassidy (Focus Features), Jason Ropell (Amazon), Jim Gianopulos (Paramount Pictures), Matt Newman (Amazon), Molly Albright (Amazon), Nancy Utley (Fox Searchlight), Peter Kujawski (Focus Features), Robert Walak (Focus Features), Scott Stuber (Netflix), Ted Sarandos (Netflix), Terry Press (CBS Films), Tom Bernard (Sony Pictures Classics), Vicky Eguia (Amazon), and more.
HFPA President Lorenzo Soria addressed the crowd, noting, 鈥淲e have donated nearly 30 million dollars to organizations ranging from Martin Scorsese鈥檚 Film Foundation which protects and preserves motion picture history -- to scholarships for private and public universities -- to programs for underrepresented students from around the world with a passion for the arts. Tonight we shift our philanthropic efforts to another organization that responds to the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crises. From Syria to Nigeria, from East Africa to Afghanistan, more people have been forced to flee their homes than at any time since World War II -- 65 million to be exact. That is why this year we are honored to lend our support to the 探花精选.鈥
Elinor Raikes, Regional Representative of the 探花精选 Europe, thanked the HFPA for their support. 鈥淲e find ourselves on the front lines of the greatest refugee crisis across the world that we鈥檝e faced in decades. Here in Europe, the 探花精选 is helping people whose lives have been shattered, to recover and regain control of their future. Whether they are stranded due to border closures in Greece and the Balkans or applying for asylum in a country like Germany, they're trying to find their feet, find a school and job, and settle into a new home. This generous donation will go a long way in supporting individuals and families like these seeking safety on our shores.鈥
The HFPA continues to show its commitment to helping nonprofit organizations, with contributions totaling nearly $30 million since the organization鈥檚 inception.
The menu for the event, crafted by Chef Alessandro of Nikki Beach, included dishes such as Tartare de Saumon Asiatique, Brochette au Poulet, 脡clair au Chocolat, Savarin Chantilly, and more. Perrier Jou毛t served a specialty champagne cocktail with fresh fruit. The fete was produced by Danielle Pelland's Brilliant Consulting.
To access photos from the event, click here:
Photo credit: On behalf of the HFPA, George Pimentel; Wireimage/Getty
To access interviews and b-roll from the event, click here:
Video credit: Luca Celada/HFPA