Cannes International Film Festival 2012

Credit: Eric Gaillard/Reuters/Landov

Sean Penn Hosts Star-Studded Benefit in Cannes

Originally posted 05/19/2012 12:00PM

Sean Penn was in a jovial mood Friday night at the Cannes Film Festival where he hosted a benefit for Haiti, which raised about $1.5 million.

The actor and activist hosted a starry affair attended by David Schwimmer, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Diane Kruger, Jessica Chastain, Michelle Rodriguez, Ewan MacGregor, Gerald Butler and Penn's onetime gal pal Petra Nemcova, among others.

At one point Penn joked to the crowd: "I want to ask every woman here to turn to the man next to her and say I won't sleep with you tonight unless you make a big donation."

Two U2 VIP concert tickets and one of Bono's Gretsch guitars fetched 200,000 euros apiece, and three people shelled out $100,000 each to spend three days in Haiti with Penn.

The upbeat evening was a change from Friday afternoon when Penn went on a profanity-laced tirade about how the media and the world has abandoned Haiti in the wake of a devastating earthquake there.
– Dana Kennedy

Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss/Startraks

Cannes International Film Festival 2012

Cannes Film Festival Honors Women in Film

Originally posted 05/18/2012 11:40AM

Actresses from both sides of the pond were honored at an event paying tribute to Women in Film Thursday, as part of the Cannes Film Festival.

Naomi Watts, Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Shailene Woodley and French actress Ludivine Sagnier were the special guests at the event, held at the private mansion Villa St. George and sponsored by Calvin Klein. Chastain and Woodley danced the night away around a candlelit pool, still on their feet past midnight, according to the Associated Press.

Celebrities including David Schwimmer and Chris Rock also attended the event.

Alec Baldwin, in town with fianceé Hilaria Thomas, was also a major presence at the party, a source tells PEOPLE. The actor, who's show 30 Rock will wrap next season, joked to a party guest, "I'm going to be out of work soon, so I'm making all the friends I can."
– Dana Kennedy

Credit: PGE/Startraks

The Dictator Rides Into Cannes on a Camel

Originally posted 05/16/2012 02:45PM

Sacha Baron Cohen has brought an entourage of beautiful women to many of his promotional appearances for The Dictator, but his date for the Cannes Film Festival might be his most mesmerizing yet.

Before making his way down the Croisette promenade Wednesday, Cohen, in character as Admiral General Aladeen, comically mounted a camel named Osama to mark his entrance.

The actor and his ride attended a photo call for the comedy, which hits theaters today, then later went to relax with a stop at a nearby cafe and some browsing at a local Ralph Lauren store.

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