SPOTLIGHT ON CHARITY MOVIES

Day 10 looked past the Weinstein negativity, and the protests that had been taking centre stage so far

After a shaky start and a wave of negative press, the AIDS relief charity amfAR on Day 10 of the 71st Cannes Film Festival in France attempted to focus the spotlight on its work instead of the stain left by one of its biggest benefactors, Harvey Weinstein, who has been shunned by Hollywood after accusations of rape and sexual misconduct.

The disgraced movie mogul regularly attended the gala, often bringing in high profile guests and encouraging the bidding on the annual auction. Sharon Stone stepped down as co-chair of this year’s gala and Pharrell Williams dropped out of performing at the event.

Attendees of the 25th Cannes black tie gala at the famous Hotel Du Cap in Antibes tried to keep the focus on amfAR’s global work. This year’s event featured a celebrity auction and performances by Grace Jones, Sting and Shaggy and Ellie Goulding. This year’s auction prizes which included works of art, luxury holidays, super cars and yachts saw a fashion collection of 30 designer outfits raise 1.6 million euros (₹12.8 crore), a Pierce Brosnan original painting go for 1.2 million euros (₹9.6 crores) and a collection of Liz Taylor furs fetch 425,000 euros (₹3.4 crore).

Earlier in the day, the film festival finally saw some headlines about movies than the protests that have been staged on the red carpet so far. An explosive documentary about the tragic life of Whitney Houston claims the superstar was sexually abused as a child by her cousin, soul singer Dee Dee Warwick. The bombshell revelation in Whitney, made with the cooperation of the singer’s family, comes late in the film by Oscarwinning

Scottish director

Kevin Macdonald, which premiered on Thursday at the film festival.

Not since

1970 have two

Arab films been in the running for the

Palme d’Or top prize and female Arab directors are particularly making a splash this year. Out of those two,

Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki’s highly anticipated third film Capernaum — about a 12-year-old boy with an axe to grind about being born into a miserable, loveless existence — racked up a string of distribution deals ahead of its premiere.

PHOTOS: STEPHANE MAHE/ REUTERS The gathering at the amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS 2018 event; (Below) Paris Hilton and Chris Zylka lean in for a kiss as they pose

PHOTO: JEANPAUL PELISSIER/REUTERS PHOTO: ERIC GAILLARD/REUTERS PHOTO: STEPHANE MAHE/REUTERS Festival general delegate Thierry Fremaux dances as musicians from the film, Le grand bal, play on the red carpet; Kristen Stewart, member of the Cannes Jury poses Guests attend a gala to celebrate 25 years of raising funds

PHOTO: JOEL C RYAN/INVISION/AP Gary Oldman kisses wife Gisele Schmidt during a photo call at the 71st Cannes Film Festival in France

PHOTO: STEPHANE MAHE/REUTERS Lara Stone and Nicole Scherzinger conduct the amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS 2018 auction in Antibes