$1.8m raised at amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS

Dubai, Dec 14 (IANS) An auction of celebrity memorabilia during the Cinema Against AIDS gala presented by the Dubai International Film Festival has raised $1.8 million for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), WAM reported Sunday quoting event organisers.

The event, sponsored by the high-end jewellers Dubai Pearl with Cartier as the Grand Patron, was attended by a galaxy of stars, who included India's Preity Zinta.

Friday's auction was opened by Mexican-American actress Salma Hayek who placed for bidding a Cartier bracelet carrying her signature, which sold for $80,000.

A 1962 portrait of Marilyn Monroe signed by photographer Bert Stern, was sold for $40,000.

A total of 181 films from 66 countries will be shown during the event, running till next Thursday and seen by organisers as a showcase for world cinema.

The American charity amfAR is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.

Since 1985, amfAR has invested nearly $275 million in its programmes and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide.