Cannes 2012 Day Three: fundraising, “sex strike” calls and Madagascar (video)

  May 19, 2012 - 19:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Cannes film festival Day Three featured Italian film director Matteo Garrone’s Reality and Paradise: Love by Austrian director Ulrich Seidl.

fundraising dinner for Haiti’s earthquake victims

On May 18, Actor Sean Penn and fashion designer Giorgio Armani hosted a fundraising dinner for victims of Haiti’s earthquake at the Cannes Film Festival.

Proceeds will go to three aid groups: Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization, Artists for Peace and Justice, and Happy Heart's Fund, AFP reported.

Penn, who has been named Ambassador at Large for Haiti, called on U.S. President Barack Obama to support his Haitian counterpart Michel Martelly as he tries to ramp up stalled reconstruction efforts.

"It is time that our very elegant and formidable president of the United States stands side by side with this new hope incarnated by Michel Martelly," he told a press conference ahead of the party.

"There is a human obligation to help," Penn said, citing education and roads as key priorities for the blighted nation.

"But finally the key will be creating jobs, jobs that will create a middle-class and push us out of the country except to be tourists. This is ultimately the goal."

Sean Penn calls for 'sex strike',

Hollywood actor Sean Penn further urged his female colleagues to go on a 'sex strike', in an effort to encourage their men to donate to a charity action at the Cannes Film Festival.

All money raised at the event went to the Haiti Foundation.

Penn's order appears to have worked on the assembled actresses, as stars paid out over €1.3m for the cause.

Among the lots were two VIP seats for a U2 concert and a guitar belonging to the band's frontman Bono, VIP seats for the Golden Globes and invitations to meet Monaco's Prince Albert., according to BreakingNews.ie.

Madagascar at Cannes

The third animated 'Madagascar' adventure has had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Sky News reported.

'Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted' is the first of the series to be shot in 3D and studio bosses are hopeful it will match the box office magic of the previous two films.

One of the three movie directors Tom McGrath says 'This festival, it celebrates all types of film. Our films about traveling to Europe and what better place could we launch a film like that than in Cannes?'

African circus in Europe

The main villain in Madagascar 3 is the odd French animal control officer Capitaine Chantel DuBois, voiced by Frances McDormand.

Ben Stiller returns as the voice of soft-hearted lion Alex, Chris Rock took on the role as the irrepressible zebra Marty and David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith are back as Melman and Gloria respectively.

New to the cast are Bryan Cranston as Vitaly, Martin Short as the Italian sea lion Stefano and Jessica Chastain as a sultry jaguar.

The stars of the film all hit the Cannes red carpet to celebrate its release as well as Australia's Naomi Watts, according to Sky News.