International stars and the rich and famous headline Cannes film festival events

British model Liz Hurley arrives with beau Arun Nayer at the Palais des Festivals to attend the closing ceremony of the 56th Cannes film festival. AFP PHOTO/Vannia LUCCHESI

Charlie Chaplin's family, Geraldine (3rd l), Annie (2nd r), Dolores (r), Michael (l), Carmen (2nd l) and George Chaplin (c) poses for photographers upon arrival at the Palais des Festivals to attend the closing ceremony of the 56th Cannes film festival. Charlie Chaplin's last silent movie, 'Modern Times', closes the festival. AFP PHOTO/Vannia LUCCHESI

CANNES (AFP) ­ One of the Cannes film festival's classiest parties gathered a wide mix of the famous and the powerful during a bash at a beachside casino late including singer Lionel Richie and Harrod's owner Mohamed Al-Fayed.

Other celebrities at the exclusive do included Harvey Weinstein, the influential head of the Miramax studio, Chiara Chaplin, the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, French actress Jeanne Moreau and tennis players Serena Williams and Henri Leconte.

A fashion show by the guest of honour, Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, kicked off the evening before the 200 invitees dived into a three-course meal carefully proportioned to appeal to the number of models sitting at the tables.
A thumping nightclub opened afterwards allowing some to burn the calories off on the dance floor, though most disappeared to other exclusive parties in the villas and yachts around Cannes.

List of films that won prizes at the Cannes Film Festival

Palme d'Or for Best Film: "Elephant" by Gus Van Sant (US) Grand Prize: "Uzak" ("Distant") by Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey) Jury Prize: "At Five in the Afternoon" by Samira Makhmalbaf (Iran) Best Actors: Muzaffer Ozdemir, Mehmet Emin Toprak Best Actress: Marie-Josee Croze in "The Barbarian Invasions" (Canada) Best Director: Gus Van Sant for "Elephant" (US) Best Screenplay: Denys Arcand for "The Barbarian Invasions" (Canada) Camera d'Or, for Best First Film: "Reconstruction" by Cristoffer Boe (Denmark) Palme d'Or for Best Short Film: "Cracker Bag" by Glendyn Ivin (Australia)

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