Names and faces
■ Sharon Stone hosted and Alicia Keys performed as the lavish amfAR [the Foundation for AIDS Research] gala returned to Cannes, France, on Friday night. Marking one of the most anticipated nights of the film festival, this edition was a smaller, more intimate affair, with the guest list pared to 400 with covid-19 protocols in place. The night began with a cocktail hour, followed by a seated dinner. Under the stars at Villa Eilenroc in Antibes, France, the theme was “I am a Movie Star,” and guests were entertained with a fashion show curated by Carine Roitfeld. Keys was the music headliner, performing a set that included her hit “New York” as well as the much-loved “Fallin’.” She said it was her first in-person performance since the pandemic began. “It is beautiful, it is overwhelming, it is exciting, it is great to stay on mission here,” Stone said, noting that some of the science used to fight HIV-AIDS was deployed against covid-19. “We’re back at it, which is really nice.” This year’s festival jury president, Spike Lee, made an appearance, along with stars of screen, catwalk and music — including Dylan Penn, Natasha Poly, Orlando Bloom, Regina King, Swizz Beatz, Rachel Brosnahan and Soo Joo Park. The live auction featured luxury holidays, jewels, artwork and one-off experiences. Highlights included a chance to create a vintage champagne, which went for $83,000, while a Chopard 18-karat white gold diamond, tanzanite and amethyst necklace raised $201,000. Artwork included an Andy Warhol Mickey Mouse piece that raised $443,000. Contemporary British artist Sacha Jafri created a live painting that raised $1.18 million. The foundation raises money to support AIDS research; HIV prevention; and treatment, education and advocacy. Since 1985, it has invested nearly $550 million in its programs and has awarded more than 3,300 grants to research teams worldwide.
■ Colin Kaepernick will release a series of books through the children’s publisher Scholastic, starting with a picture story. “I Color Myself Different” will come out in April, according to Scholastic and Kaepernick Publishing, which the former NFL quarterback founded last year. An ex-member of the San Francisco 49ers, he hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016, after he knelt at games during “The Star Spangled Banner” to protest racial injustice and police treatment of Black people. Kaepernick, 33, was adopted by a white family, and his picture book is based on a kindergarten memory of using a yellow crayon to draw his family, then a brown one to depict himself. “This story is deeply personal to me, and inspired by real events in my life. I hope that it honors the courage and bravery of young people everywhere by encouraging them to live with authenticity and purpose,” Kaepernick said.