Of the many evenings that make up the Festival de Cannes, one stands apart: the amfAR Gala, held at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the Cap d’Antibes. It is a charity dinner and auction before it is a social event, which is exactly why it is so hard to reach.
The 80th Festival de Cannes runs from 11 to 22 May 2027. The gala has traditionally been held on a Thursday toward the end of the festival, but amfAR announces its own date and arrangements, so nothing here should be read as a confirmed 2027 programme. What can be planned, and planned early, is everything around it.
What the evening is
amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, has staged its Cinema Against AIDS benefit during the Festival since the early 1990s. Guests dine in the gardens of the Eden-Roc, watch a fashion presentation and a live performance, and bid in an auction of art, jewellery and one-of-a-kind experiences. The proceeds go to research. The setting is deliberately removed from the Croisette: the hotel stands at the tip of the Cap d’Antibes, a drive that is quick at midday and slow on a gala evening.
How access works
There is no box office. Places are allocated by amfAR, through individual invitations, through tables taken by sponsors and friends of the foundation, and through hospitality offered by authorised partners. Opera Prestige works with those authorised partners to arrange official hospitality where it is available. We do not resell tickets, and we do not promise a place the organiser has not confirmed: if a seat cannot be secured properly, we say so early and build the rest of the week around what can be done well.
The sensible moment to begin is the winter before the Festival. Tables and hospitality are decided months ahead, and the villa, the transfers and the preparation that surround them are the part you can control.
Where to stay
For the Festival fortnight, a villa is usually a better answer than a hotel room: privacy to prepare, space for a small dinner before or after, and a team on site. The hills of Cannes (La Californie, Super-Cannes, the Croix des Gardes) and the Cap d’Antibes itself bring the Eden-Roc within easy reach. Our Cannes villa collection is the place to start, and our guide to renting a villa for the Film Festival explains how the fortnight is usually organised.
Getting there
Private aviation lands at Cannes-Mandelieu or Nice Côte d’Azur; our guide to private aviation on the Riviera covers the options. On the evening itself, a driver who knows how the hotel manages arrivals is worth more than any amount of planning. For guests who prefer the water, a short passage along the coast aboard a chartered yacht is another way to approach the Cap, subject to the hotel’s own arrangements for the evening.
Around the gala
Preparation matters on an evening this photographed. Hair, make-up and tailoring can be arranged at the villa through trusted local professionals, with time left for last adjustments. Around the gala itself, a private chef can cook a dinner for your own guests, tables can be reserved for the days either side, and transport is organised from arrival to departure. For the wider picture of the fortnight, see our guide to the Cannes Film Festival.
Questions
When is the amfAR Gala Cannes 2027?
The 80th Festival de Cannes takes place from 11 to 22 May 2027. amfAR announces the gala date itself; it has traditionally fallen on a Thursday toward the end of the festival.
Can anyone buy a ticket?
Not in the usual sense. Places are allocated by amfAR through invitations, tables and authorised hospitality. We arrange official hospitality through authorised partners where it is available, and we never resell tickets.
Where is the gala held?
At the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, on the Cap d’Antibes, a short distance along the coast from Cannes.
What should I wear?
Black tie is the norm for the evening; the invitation will confirm the dress code.
To plan the week around the gala, speak to our Cannes concierge or contact us directly.