Maura Higgins brought glamour to the Cannes Film Festival amfAR gala at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France, on Wednesday night. The Love Island star, 35, continued her quest for global superstardom as she walked the lilac carpet alongside Eva Longoria and supermodel Heidi Klum, 52.
Models Georgia Fowler, Bar Refaeli, and Natasha Poly, as well as musician Robbie Williams, were also in attendance. However, it was Maura who stole the show in a strapless pink satin gown with a dramatic train. The television personality complemented the look with matching heels and a dazzling diamond necklace and earrings.
Eva Longoria wowed in a red sequin dress, while Heidi Klum opted for drama with a black tulle gown. The black-tie event is the premier fundraiser for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and typically raises millions of euros during the night.
Cannes Film Festival Jury Unveiled
This year for the Cannes Film Festival, Demi Moore joins "Hamnet" director Chloé Zhao and actor Stellan Skarsgård on the jury. Organisers unveiled the nine-member jury that will deliberate on the films in competition at the annual French Riviera festival in May.
As previously announced, South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is president of the jury. Alongside him, Moore, Zhao, and Skarsgård, the jurors are: Irish-Ethiopian actor Ruth Negga, Belgian director and screenwriter Laura Wandel, Chilean director and screenwriter Diego Céspedes, Ivorian-American actor Isaach De Bankolé, and Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty.
Speaking to the Daily Mail at the opening press conference, Demi said she felt "tremendously honoured to be here." She added: "It's such a beautiful experience and one just to be surrounded by cinema and the love of cinema, and the joy of diving in and being surrounded by those who share that is just – I just felt like a joy. And who can complain about the beautiful view of this incredible place? But yes, I just feel tremendously honoured and I'm super excited. I really – I feel like a little kid getting to play a grown-up."
She noted that she had only attended the Cannes Film Festival once before, as someone's plus one, and expressed her honour at now being on the jury.
Honorary Palme d'Or for Peter Jackson
This year, the Cannes Film Festival will honour filmmaker Peter Jackson with an honorary Palme d'Or. Festival organisers announced Jackson as a recipient in March for what they hailed as "a body of work that blends Hollywood blockbusters and films d'auteur with extraordinary artistic vision and technological audacity." The "Lord of the Rings" director, in a statement, called the honour "one of the greatest privileges of my career."
Last year, Cannes gave honorary Palme d'Or prizes to Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington. This year's edition runs for twelve days from May 12 to May 23.
