Richard Gere’s Award, Fedez’s Surprise, and Kelly Rowland’s Show: Here’s What Happened at the amfAR Gala in Venice

The beautiful and the good joined hands at the Venice Film Festival, where on the evening of September 1st the amfAR’s annual galathe international non-governmental organization committed to research for a cure for AIDS. In this edition, which as per tradition includes a gala dinner and a charity auction, $2.5 million was raised.

The event, organized on the occasion of the Film Festival, is an unmissable event and features various personalities. In this edition, the hostess was the actress Kate Beckinsaleflanked by Kelly Rowland And Rumer Willis. The guest of honor was Richard Gere who received the Inspiration Award«for his positive message and support in social battles». The star arrived in the company of his son Homer and his wife, Alejandraand he did not deny himself the journalists’ questions. In particular on the world crises: «There are specific crises, but the main crisis is deeply personal for all of us. It seems like we don’t want to take care of each other. We live on a small planetthere’s no reason why we shouldn’t. All it takes is a little kindness. And not just towards humans. We are witnessing a crisis of the soul, we hope for a global commitment to change. There are forces – continued Gere – that try to divide us and create the illusion that we are all separate. But we see it: we are all connected».

There was also time to get down to business, with the actor reiterating his love for Italy: «It’s always great. I met my wife here.. I’ve always had good feelings.”

In the decidedly relaxed atmosphere, Gere also spent kind words for his family, happy to have brought with him his son Homer, 24, had with the actress Carey Lowell, and his wife Alejandra Silva, who confirmed to journalists how much Richard Gere is wonderful as a father and husbandas already declared for the 75th birthday he turned on August 31st on Instagram, where he wrote: «The path we share, the beautiful family we have built and the memories we have created are more than I ever dreamed».

Among the amfAR honorees was also a Saudi film producer, Mohammed Al-Turki for his contribution to the film industry and charitable activities. The producer said on Instagram that he was honored to receive the award alongside “a true icon, the one and only Richard Gere.” Also admired on the amfAR catwalk were Antonio Banderas, who received the “Global Impact Award” recognition during the evening. He was accompanied by wife Nicole. However, the many names from the Italian artistic world did not go unnoticed during the evening: Edward Leo, Sergio Castellitto, Margaret Mazzantini. Fedez arrived somewhat surprisingly, having announced his arrival in Venice on Instagram.

On the catwalk he let himself be photographed but then he didn’t stop to talk to the journalists. On the other hand, he took pictures of other celebrities. Just as Fedez arrived in Venice, his ex-sister-in-law, Valentina Ferragnihad recently left, after having participated in the Vanity Fair Venice Lounge, together with Julia De Lelliswhich however also remained for the amfAR dinner, organized at the Nicelli airport in Lido.

Among the highlights of the evening, the auction that saw participants win works of art by Andy Warhol, Kenny Scharf, Sean Koons, Fred Allard and Niclas Castelloas well as a precious pair of Chopard earrings. And then, everyone went wild with Kelly Rowland who sang a medley of his hits: Dilemma, Like This, Say My Name, Bootylicious, When Love Takes Over and the success of Whitney Houston, I Wanna Dance with Somebody.