Stars convene for amfAR gala to raise millions for AIDS research

ANTIBES, France (AP) — Artwork by Adrien Brody and James Franco and a chance to sit courtside at a Knicks game with director Spike Lee were among the starry offerings at the annual amfAR Gala to raise money for AIDS research.

Held at the famous Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes on Thursday, the evening attracted scores of celebrities in the area for the Cannes Film Festival. Guests included Brody, Lee, Colman Domingo, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, and Heidi Klum.

This year’s top items for sale included a Dodge Charger that featured in “Fast X,” sold off by Rodriguez, raising 475,000 euros ($536,843). There were also some Chopard pear-shaped, yellow-diamond earrings that reached 400,000 ($452,005) euros in the bidding.

During the meal guests were also entertained with musical performances from Ciara, who opened the night, Adam Lambert and headlining the dinner with Duran Duran. Guest shimmied from their tables to the front of the room to stand in front of the stage and sing along to hits like “Notorious” and “View to a Kill” (which wouldn't be the only James Bond reference of the night).

The sale included artwork from Brody — sold for 375,000 euros ($423,755) with lunch with the star thrown in — and Franco — (sold for 325,000 euros ($367,254) also with a lunch offered with the winning bid. Another highlight was a May 2025 George Condo painting that raised 1.15 million euros ($1.26 million).

Lee came to the stage and offered a surprise lot, a walk-on part in his next movie. Part of the way through the bidding he added tickets to sit next to him courtside at a New York Nicks game next season, driving the price up to 400,000 euros ($452,005).

The fashion show is a regular feature of the auction curated by Carine Roitfeld, this year was Bond-inspired and saw 27 models turn the middle of the dinning room into a catwalk as they paraded through the room waving at guests they recognized and posing for photos on route. The collection made 450,000 euros ($508,505) for the charity, auctioned off as one complete lot.

The Foundation for AIDS Research, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has raised nearly $950 million (841 million euros) in support of its programs and has awarded more than 3,800 grants to research teams worldwide.

Louise Dixon has covered the amfAR gala for more than a decade. Among most memorable items she’s seen sold at auction are a game of soccer with David Beckham and his friends, a private dinner performance from Andrea Bocelli at his family home and lunch with Robert De Niro that combined have raised more than 2 million euros.

For more coverage of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival

Spike Lee poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS benefit at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, during the 78th Cannes international film festival, Cap d'Antibes, southern France, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Coleman Domingo poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS benefit at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, during the 78th Cannes international film festival, Cap d'Antibes, southern France, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Adam Lambert poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS benefit at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, during the 78th Cannes international film festival, Cap d'Antibes, southern France, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Adrien Brody, left, and Georgina Chapman pose for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS benefit at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, during the 78th Cannes international film festival, Cap d'Antibes, southern France, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Ciara poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS benefit at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, during the 78th Cannes international film festival, Cap d'Antibes, southern France, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione will assert a psychiatric defense at his state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a judge said Wednesday.

Judge Gregory Carro said Mangione's lawyers have informed him they will attempt to show that he was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the occurrence.”

By asserting a psychiatric defense, Mangione would effectively be admitting that he killed Thompson but did so because of mitigating circumstances.

If a jury finds that Mangione was emotionally disturbed at the time of the killing, it could convict him of manslaughter instead of murder, meaning he'd be sentenced to less time in prison.

It is not the same as a not guilty by reason of insanity defense, which would allow a defendant to go to a psychiatric facility instead of prison.

Carro’s ruling came two weeks after he held a secret hearing on the matter at the request of the defense. He said he will unseal records pertaining to the hearing and the defense's move for a psychiatric defense.

“The reasons for the sealing was to give the defense an opportunity to determine whether they were going forth with that defense and the nature of that defense,” Carro said.

Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said unsealing the transcript of the secret hearing and materials related to his psychiatric defense will harm him in his federal case.

“The reason why we asked for the sealing is that this defense is not available federally and Mr. Mangione is being prosecuted federally and this is prejudicial to his defense to the exact same facts,” Friedman Agnifilo said.

The judge had been set to rule on the matter on Tuesday, but delayed it a day because prosecutors failed to inform Mangione's jail that he was needed in court.

Mangione sat between his lawyers wearing a blue suit and a light-colored button-down shirt. He is set to go to trial on Sept. 8.

Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges in the Dec. 4, 2024, killing. His federal trial, which involves stalking charges, is set to begin on Oct. 13. He could spend his life in prison if convicted in either case.

Thompson, 50, was killed as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan. At a May 18 hearing, Carro ruled that a gun and notebook that prosecutors say link Mangione to the killing can be used as evidence against him.

The gun, a 3D-printed pistol, matches the one used to kill Thompson, prosecutors said. The notebook describes wanting to “wack” a health insurance executive and rebelling against “the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel.”

Also Wednesday, Carro dismissed a charge related to a gun magazine that he had ruled inadmissible because it was found during an initial search of Mangione’s backpack at the McDonald’s.

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This story has been corrected to show that Mangione could receive less prison time as a result of a conviction using this defense, not be sent to a psychiatric facility.

Luigi Mangione appears for a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

Luigi Mangione appears for a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

Luigi Mangione appears for a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)