Good times, good cause

The film-maker, and husband of Elton John, on English summer, party planning and Princess Diana

Cannes is a bonkers event – so much hype and creativity, all squashed on to one Croisette

There is no place on earth more glorious than england in the summertime, and this year, it feels more verdant and fragrant than ever. every June, elton and i host a party in the garden of Woodside, our home in Windsor, and it is currently a veritable hive of activity, with gardeners weeding and manicuring the lawn to a lush green ca r pet of welcoming perfect ion. For the past 18 years, we’ve opened the gates and throw na big fundraising party for the elton John aids Foundation. They used to be massive events with 800 guests and the most surreal sights–such as a Fr ago na rd-e sque model swinging from the giant oak tree, or a zebra grazing on the grass – but for the past few years we’ve reined things in a bit, with a more intimate dinner inside our art gallery.

i’m still staggered by the generosity and loyalty of our supporters. over £78 million has been raised for the war against aids, reaching millions of people in asia, africa and here in the UK. We’ve run the entertainment gamut, from african choirs to lady Gaga, coldplay and andrea Bocelli. These artists generously donate their time and talent, and fill our home with the musical spirit of love and hope on these beautiful summer evenings.

elton and i Went back to visit the london lighthouse in west london a few weeks ago. it was once a respite and palliative care centre for people who had received the ‘death sentence’ of an hiv-positive diagnosis, and it is impossible not to be struck by how much has changed. it hasn’t been needed in years; medicines are now so effective that people don’t have to die of aids-related conditions in the UK any more. in fact, full life expectancy is now normal.

dur i ng our v isit, we met for mer patients and staff, some of whom had met diana, princess of Wales during her pr ivate v i sit s, a nd sha red t hei r touching and funny stories. Back then, she seemed like almost the only highprofile, st raight person on the planet who t r uly ca red about so many gay men with aids. Thankfully, much of that homophobia has changed too, but even as we celebrate 50 years since the s ex ua l of fenc e s ac t made g ay s ex legal, the news is full of gay men being imprisoned and tortured in chechnya. seeing this reminds me of how tox ic shame can be in our lives. still, i’m optimistic we can change this.

The cannes Film Festival is a bonkers event – so much hype, glamour and creativity, all squashed on to one heaving croisette. crazy as it is, the festival has a long and important history of platforming burgeoning cinematic talent. so, t here was no place better to premiere three new music videos for three classic elton John songs; the result of a global competition for young film-makers to cut their teeth creating their own filmic interpretations of iconic tracks.

my personal favourite was the animated video created for Rocket Man by maji dad in, an iranian refugee who drew on his extraordinary journey through europe during 2015, and time he spent in the calais Jungle camp before being granted asylum in the UK. it’s a wistful and elegiac film that beautifully evokes the human cost of displaced souls, and poignantly reminds us that we need to build bridges in life, not walls. Creating an Aids Free Future, ejaf.org