A portrait of the late Elizabeth Taylor, who founded the event, looked down on the over 800 revellers at the five-star Eden Roc hotel in Cap d'Antibes, including Cannes jury members Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman and Jude Law.
Hollywood star Sharon Stone, who had been lined up to preside over the evening's fund-raising auction, failed to attend, citing professional commitments.
Last year's gala raised 5.36 million euros ($7.64 million), organisers said. It costs as much 84,000 euros to book a table for 12; a single entry goes for 4,200 euros.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------