As the curtain slowly falls on a 76th Cannes Film Festival that has felt at times more like a neverending fashion show, it was almost inevitable that one of its final acts had absolutely nothing to do with cinema.

Indeed, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc provided the five-star backdrop as the great and good of film and fashion – but mostly fashion – converged for the annual amfAR Cannes Gala, hosted by Queen Latifah.

Leading the way at the star-studded event were Heidi Klum, Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria and Helena Christensen who all looked incredible as they walked the blue carpet.

Heidi, 49, put on a leggy display in a green mini dress that featured a dramatic train with a layered detail and tasseled embellishment.

The German beauty posed up a storm on the red carpet and added to her outfit with a pair of silver shimmering heels.

The model’s garment also featured a sweetheart neckline and a sheer detail, while Heidi let her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders for the event.

The America’s Got Talent judge was joined at the event by her husband Tom Kaulitz, with the couple sharing a kiss as they walked the blue carpet together.

Kate Beckinsale showcased her sense of style in an eye-catching purple dress with a structured front and layered detailing.

The gown also featured a train and a cinched waist while Kate, 49, accessorised withh a pair of silver diamond earrings.

Eva Longoria showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a black dress with a sheer detail that highlighted her toned pins.

The garment also featured a high collar and a shimmering detail while the Desperate Housewives star, 48, also sported towering black heels.

Styling her brunette tresses into an updo, Eva accentuated her natural beauty with a daring red lip. 

Helena Christensen looked sensational in a pale pink dress with a low cut neckline and a cut out detail along the midriff.

The Danish model, 54, also wore a matching cape for the evening along with a pair of silver open-toed heels as  she posed on the blue carpet. 

Elsewhere, Stella Maxwell exuded old Hollywood glamour as she donned a black figure hugging gown with a plunging sweetheart neckline.

The dress also featured a sheer detail leading up to a dramatic silver choker while the Victoria’s Secret Angel also wore a pair of gloves.

Adding height to her frame with a pair of heels, Stella styled her platinum blonde locks into vintage-style waves.

Lori Harvey set pulses racing with her look as she slipped into a bright red gown with a cut out along the centre that highlighted her toned midriff.

The garment also featured a high collar and a flowing train, with Lori adding to her look with a pair of sunglasses.

Jourdann Dunn set pulces racing with her look as she arrived to the event in a tiny red mini dress that highlighted her incredible figure.

Her outfit came complete with a matching bow and train while the model also wore a pair of matching heels. 

Alessandra Ambrosio flashed every inch of her incredible model figure as she made a stunning arrival for the gala.

The model, 42, looked nothing short of incredible in a perilously plunging silver sheer gown that certainly caught the eye as she arrived for the prestigious annual charity event.

Alessandra stunned in the daring silver gown with racy beading that showed off her ample cleavage.

Her gown boasted a daring low-cut front and a matching thigh-high split that left little to the imagination.

Meanwhile, fellow model Cindy Bruna was a vision in a black sleeveless dress as she arrived to the swanky event. 

The star’s outfit featured a cut out detail along the chest along with a faux fur lining along the hemline.

Boosting her frame with black heels with a diamond encrusted buckle, Cindy wore her locks in a poker straight style for the evening. 

Coco Rocha turned heads with her look as she donned a royal blue gown with a patterned train and structured shoulder detail.

The model also sported a pair of towering blue boots and styled her brunett locks into a bouffant style for the bash. 

Model Meredith Mickelson looked radiant as ever in a peach two-tone dress which featured a layered detail.

Meredith, who is the ex-girlfriend of The 1975 singer Matty Healy, let her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders and accessorised with silver earrings. 

Amelia Gray Hamlin cut a glamorous figure in a pale pink dress with a scooped neckline and  a purple sequinned emellishment.

The garment also featured a daring backless detail and leg split while Amelia added height to her fram e with a pair of heels.

Wearing her raven locks in a poker straight style, Amelia accessorised for the evening with a white clutch bag and silver necklace.

The model, who is the daughter of Real Housewives of Beverley Hills star Lisa Rinna, completed her look with a light palette of makeup.

Elsa Hosk sent temperatures soaring in a daring sheer dress that left little to the imagination.

The model showcased her incredible figure in the garment which featured a low cut neckline and a cut out detail along the midriff.

The Swedish beauty boosted her frame with a pair of open-toed heels while she wore her blonde tresses in an elegant updo.

Emma Weymouth cut a typically glamorous figure in a figure-hugging white and blue dress with a feathered detail.

The garment also featured a flowing sheer train with tasseled shoulders while the socialite drew further attention to her look with a diamond necklace.

Victoria Silvstedt put on a busty display for the gala as she slipped into a blue sheer dress with a sweetheart neckline.

The outfit featured a floral print  while glamour model Victoria styled her platinum blonde tresses into loose waves.

Clase Azul is Mexico’s first luxury spirits brand and creators of Clase Azul Reposado that celebrity guests will be sipping on at the party.

Queen Latifah served as host for what is the hottest party during the annual Cannes Film Festival, and which raises millions of dollars for AIDS and HIV research and awareness.

Guests enjoyed musical performances from Halsey, Adam Lambert, Bebe Rexha, and Gladys Knight, while sipping Clase Azul Gold and Reposado tequila from Mexico’s first luxury spirits brand.

It retails from £220 and is available to buy in Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods as well as the world’s finest bars, restaurants and members’ clubs.

The swanky amFAR gala also included a fashion show curated by Carine Roitfeld, and a fund-raising auction by Simon de Pury.

Included in the auction were Cecily Brown’s latest work – created specially for amfAR – and a signed 2016 Damien Hirst artwork of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Amongst amfAR Gala Cannes’ co-chairs are Angela Bassett, Kate Beckinsale, Robert De Niro, Ethan Hawke, Scarlett Johansson, Milla Jovovich, Eva Longoria and Heidi Klum.

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy.

In April 1983, Dr. Mathilde Krim and Dr. Joseph Sonnabend, along with Michael Callen and a few others in New York City, founded the AIDS Medical Foundation (AMF).

It was the first private organization in the world dedicated to raising funds to support scientific and medical research on AIDS. Its first research grants were awarded in 1984. 

In September 1985, amfAR was formed through the unification of AMF with the like-minded National AIDS Research Foundation, which had been incorporated in California in August 1985. 

Since then, amfAR has invested nearly $617 million in its programs and has awarded more than 3,500 grants to research teams worldwide. 

amfAR Gala Cannes has raised a cumulative total of more than $245 million for amfAR’s lifesaving AIDS research.

This extraordinary success has enabled the Foundation to make critical research investments to bring it within reach of a cure for HIV. 

amfAR’s research investments have contributed to the development of antiretroviral drugs that are keeping millions of people alive, and helped eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in many parts of the world.

And amfAR has galvanized a scientific community that, once deeply skeptical, has largely embraced the notion that a cure is not only possible but achievable in our lifetime. 

Today, amfAR is supporting a range of cure-focused strategies. A new grant initiative called ARCHE-GT, for example, is supporting teams of researchers investigating gene therapy approaches to a cure.

Importantly, the researchers are charged with developing an intervention that could be delivered by injection, increasing the chances that, if effective, it could be administered without requiring complex laboratory procedures. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, approximately 84.2 million people acquired HIV and more than 40 million have died of AIDS-related illnesses. 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez put on another showstopping display as she led the glamorous arrivals who graced the red carpet for the premiere of the racy French drama Last Summer (L’Été dernier) at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

The model was joined by big bames including Andie MacDowell, Poppy Delevingne and Shanina Shaik for the latest premiere in the fortnight-long cinema event, which is due to hold its closing ceremony on Saturday.

Georgina flaunted her eye-catching curves in a stunning gold sparkling gown with a busty bodice and flowing train as she posed up a storm on the red carpet.

The girlfriend of football star Cristiano Ronaldo kept her glossy raven tresses in a sleek side ponytail as she arrived for the film event.

The racy French drama focuses on a lawyer who begins an affair with her teenage stepson, throwing her career and family into jeopardy. 

Hollywood star Andie showed off her ageless appearance in a sophisticated chocolate brown satin gown, with a ruffled high neck and a form-fitting skirt.

The star, 65, proudly displayed her naturally greyed tresses in a simple up-do as she arrived for the latest premiere in her classy gown.

Andie’s dress boasted a ruffled bow neckline and long sleeves as she arrived for the launch of Cannes’ latest film.

Poppy opted to flash a glimpse of her incredible abs in a jaw-dropping gold sequinned crop top and a matching full length skirt.

The model swept her glossy blonde tresses into a sleek ponytail as she posed solo on the red carpet.

Shanina Shaik showed off her model figure in a form-fitting yellow gown with a shimmering overlay. 

The Australian model, who gave birth to her first child eight months ago, showed off her svelte post-baby figure in the off-the-shoulder gown.

Finishing off her look with metallic pointed-toe heels and a sparkling silver necklace, Shanina stunned as she posed at the premiere.

Rose Bertram showcased her incredible figure in a busty scarlet gown adorned with sequins and boasting a daring thigh-high split as she arrived on the red carpet.

The Belgian model showcased her endless pins in the revealing dress thanks to its daring split, and accessorised with matching heels.

The film focuses on a respected lawyer named Anne who lives in Paris with her husband Pierre and their two young daughters. 

Théo, Pierre’s teenage son from a previous marriage, moves in, and Anne eventually begins an affair with him, and in doing so, she risks jeopardising her career and losing her family.

The film stars Léa Drucker, Samuel Kircher, Olivier Rabourdin and Clotilde Courau, and was directed by Catherine Breillat. It is also a remake of the 2019 Danish drama Queen Of Hearts.

The Cannes Film Festival has long been regarded as a highly prestigious Hollywood affair, hosting a carefully chosen selection of films for hotly-anticipated premieres.

However, the 76th annual Film Festival has come under fire this year for its less than exclusive guest list as social media influencers have descended on the resort town.

Though usually reserved for the Hollywood elite, an array of influencers, wannabe TV stars, reality TV personalities and models have all strutted the red carpet.

Hollywood stars including Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Jennifer Lawrence have all been in attendance, but there has also been a huge list of influencers.

Love Island’s Zara McDermott, reality TV host Maya Jama, socialite Emma Weymouth and Made In Chelsea’s Kimberley Garner were all among the guest list, which is normally dominated by movie stars.

Fans have hit out at the Film Festival for inviting guests who aren’t premiering movies, branding it ‘a joke’ as they questioned why influencers are at the ‘enigmatic’ event.

Taking to Twitter, one person fumed: ‘Dream to go to Sundance and Cannes but at this point s**ts like Coachella for movie influencers.’

Another tweeted: ‘The overwhelming majority of people who attend Cannes are C-list celebrities who aren’t even premiering any movies at the festival.’

A third wrote: ‘The most random Insta influencers are attending Cannes this is a joke,’ while a fourth said: ‘What exactly are influencers supposed to be ‘giving’ at Cannes?’

A fifth penned: ‘Don’t know why social media influencers are crowding Cannes though,’ and a sixth commented: ‘Cannes has ceased to be the enigmatic thing it used to be perhaps.’

While another added: ‘What are Instagram influencers doing in Cannes? Isn’t it a film festival?’

Helena Christensen gave an insight into her jam-packed trip to Cannes for its 76th annual Film Festival on Monday.

The Danish supermodel, 54, took to her Instagram Stories to share an array of glamorous pictures as she showed off her stunning outfits.

She posted a whole host of snaps documenting her elegant dress fittings and also shared snaps from her night at the star-studded British Vogue and Chopard party.

In one shot, Helena looked dazzling in an eye-catching silver mirrored disc maxi dress with a daring split up the back to show off her toned pins.

She added some extra inches to her look with a pair of heels and added a splash of colour with a small pink handbag.

Helena swept her brunette tresses into a messy high-bun as she strutted her stuff in the ensemble during a dress fitting in her lavish hotel room.

She also slipped into a stunning blush pink dress with a bow bodice and keyhole cutouts, which she styled with a matching cape.

The bombshell showed off the stunning seaside views from her luxury hotel room and shared she was trying on her Cannes gowns in a caption, writing: ‘Fittings.’

Helena went on to show off her outfit for Monday’s British Vogue and Chopard party as she snapped a gorgeous mirror selfie at the event.

She looked incredible in a black strapped gown with lace detailing across the bodice and skirt, which she styled with a pair of sandals.

She added a pop of colour with a purple flower fastened in her hair, which was slicked back into a tight up-do.

Helena showed off her youthful looks with a smokey-eye make-up palette and a vibrant slick of pink lipstick.

She socialised with Poppy Delevingne at the event and shared a snap of her model friend looking as glamorous as ever.

Poppy, 37, cut an elegant figure in a black gown with a split all the way up the side, fastened together with an array of white bows. 

She flashed a smile as she posed in front of the picturesque resort town at the star-studded party, which was also attended by Ashley Graham and Emma Weymouth.

Taking to her Stories, Helena also gave a glimpse at the very impressive dinner table at the party, complete with gorgeous white flowers and settings for each guest.

In a final shot, Helena also shared a black-and-white snap of herself gazing out of her hotel room balcony as she enjoyed the Film Festival. 

Her visit to Cannes comes after she reunited with her ex Norman Reedus to celebrate their son Mingus’ graduation from New York University. 

Helena shared an insight into the moment as she took to Instagram to share a picture with her son, 23, and The Walking Dead actor, 54.

The former couple notably dated from 1998 until their split in 2003, and welcomed Mingus in October 1999.

She could be seen wearing a short-sleeved, black and blue-striped sweater for the sweet family photo.

Norman sported a long-sleeved, black dress shirt while Mingus was seen wearing a white, button up shirt for the occasion.

The trio flashed cheerful smiles towards the camera with the supermodel penning in the caption to her son: ‘You did it!’

Mingus is following in his mother’s footsteps, and has walked the runway for brands as well as appearing in campaigns. He recently appeared at the Versace Spring/Summer 2023 Menswear show in Milan.

Late last year in October, he also joined his mother for the Marcell Von Berlin and posed alongside Helena in 2021 for the Victoria’s Secret Mother’s Day campaign.  

Cannes just got even MORE luxurious! BMW debuts a zero-emission yacht at the film festival – complete with a voice-controlled 32-inch touchscreen display and a soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer

• BMW debuted its zero-emission ‘Icon’ yacht at the 76th Cannes Film Festival 
• The glass boat is equipped with 360° rotating seats and an exclusive track
•  It is also said to be ‘almost silent’ as it runs , without shocks or vibrations 

By Lauren Haughey

Published: 10:59 EDT, 17 May 2023 | Updated: 11:01 EDT, 17 May 2023