Events of the Week: Rare Impact Fund Benefit, ‘Loki,’ New York Film Fest and More

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including Selena Gomez‘s Rare Impact Fund Benefit, a Loki launch event and the New York Film Festival.

New York Film Festival

The annual film fest kicked off on Sept. 29 with the premiere of May December, followed by a screening of Maestro on Monday.

Sinners y Santos launch

On Friday, new nightclub Sinners y Santos, situated within Level 8, launched in Downtown LA. The opening saw a surprise performance by The Chainsmokers and drew VIPs including Leon Bridges and Dylan Sprouse.

GEANCO Foundation Gala

David Oyelowo’s foundation handed out its Leadership Scholarship for Girls — which provides full tuition, housing, healthcare, and social care to young female victims of terrorism and gender inequality in Nigeria — on Sept. 29 in Los Angeles.

Bleu de Chanel dinner

Chanel hosted an intimate NYC dinner on Saturday to celebrate the new Bleu de Chanel campaign with brand ambassador Timothée Chalamet, staring in images by Mario Sorrenti and a film directed by Martin Scorsese.

May December special screening

Ari Aster hosted a special screening on behalf of May December at the Crosby Hotel in New York on Saturday. Producers Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, Sophie Ma, and Grant Johnson introduced the film, and director Todd Haynes joined for a post-screening Q&A. 

Hilarity for Charity Brain Health Dinner

Hilarity for Charity co-founders Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen hosted a Brain Health Dinner on Saturday in Austin, Texas alongside Jason and Jessica Karp (co-founders of Hu Kitchen) and Manish Vora (founder of Museum of Ice Cream). Guests included Adrian Grenier, James Van Der Beek, Stacy Kiebler, Tony Gonzalez and Sazan Hendrix.

Chrysalis Butterfly Ball

Chrysalis celebrated its annual Butterfly Ball at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Saturday. The event was hosted by Terry Crews and honored Lionsgate Motion Picture Group’s chair Joe Drake and president Nathan Kahane, along with UTA partner and co-head of talent Chris Hart for their long support of the organization. 

GYOPO’s annual Chuseok Benefit

On Saturday, Randall Park was recognized at GYOPO’s annual Chuseok Benefit, which raises funds to support greater artistic, cultural, political and professional exchange within the diasporic Korean and Asian American communities, providing free, progressive public programs and discourse. Also in attendance were Gina Kwon of Searchlight Television, Laura Kim from Participant Media, Catherine Park of Giant Robot and actor Merle Dandridge.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines special screening

Paramount+ hosted an advanced special screening of the upcoming original film Pet Sematary: Bloodlines at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Saturday with filmmaker Lindsey Anderson Beer. 

Hail to the King: A Celebration of Roger Corman event

Beyond Fest hosted a screening and Q&A event, in partnership with the American Cinematheque, celebrating Roger Corman on Saturday.

Pickle! for Purpose

The Colton Underwood Legacy Foundation hosted celebrities and professional players for its inaugural celebrity pickleball tournament, Pickle! for Purpose, at Pepperdine University on Saturday. June Diane Raphael, Becca Tilley, Dinah Jane, Johnny Sibilly and Erin Lim Rhodes were among the stars who took part.

Toni Braxton for Aurinia’s Get Uncomfortable Campaign 

Toni Braxton visited the Aurinia Pharma “Get Uncomfortable” booth at the Walk to End Lupus Now LA event on Saturday. The artist is a spokesperson for the “Get Uncomfortable” campaign which focuses on kidney health in lupus patients. 

Malibu Triathlon

Athletes and Hollywood stars including Chace Crawford, Diplo, Ben Higgins, Trixie Mattel and Timothy Olyphant came together to swim, run and bike through Zuma Beach on Sunday at the 38th annual Malibu Triathlon, benefiting the Pediatric Cancer Research Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. 

Broadway Acts for Abortion

Martha Plimpton and Jenn Lyon hosted the Broadway Acts for Abortion event on Sunday, bringing together the best of Broadway, karaoke, live auctions, surprise guests, all while raising critical funds and awareness about reproductive justice. John Cameron Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Bonnie Milligan, Ann Dowd and Cecily Strong took part in the event, which was put on by Plimpton and Kellie Overbey’s non-profit organization A is For, that was created to destigmatize abortion through the arts.

Best in Drag show

The annual event benefitting the Alliance for Housing and Healing, the housing arm of APLA Health — the single largest provider of housing and housing support services in Los Angeles County for people living with HIV/AIDS — returned on Sunday with help from celebrity judges Lisa Ann Walter, Nicole Maines, Kathy Kinney and Diana Maria Riva.

Loki launch event

Disney+ hosted a launch event in Hollywood on Monday for the second season of Marvel series Loki.

Veeps All Access launch party

Live Nation-affiliated company and live and on-demand performances destination Veeps celebrated the launch of its new offering, All Access, with an intimate celebration hosted by co-founders Benji Madden and Joel Madden in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Guests included their wives Cameron Diaz and Nicole Richie, as well as Sofia Richie Grainge, Orville Peck, Reggie Watts and Chase Atlantic. Attendees were also treated to a live performance by Joel and Benji’s band Good Charlotte, marking their first public show in five years.

She Came to Me special screening

Anne Hathaway, Marisa Tomei and writer-director Rebecca Miller walked the carpet (after receiving an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA) at a special screening of their new film in New York on Tuesday.

“Spike Lee: Creative Sources” exhibition opening

The Brooklyn Museum celebrated the opening of Spike Lee’s new “Creative Sources” exhibit on Tuesday alongside David Byrne, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne, Roger Guenveur Smith, Dean Winters, Don Lemon and Sunny Hostin.

Rare Impact Fund Benefit 

Selena Gomez hosted the inaugural Rare Impact Fund Benefit: A Night of Radiance & Reflection in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The event supported the Rare Impact Fund’s mission to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and expand access to mental health services and education for young people around the world, and was emceed by Martin Short with performances from H.E.R. and Marshmello.

Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneer of the Year dinner

Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation recognized late MGM and United Artists Releasing Distribution Chief Erik Lomis posthumously as the 2023 Pioneer of the Year. Patricia Laucella, Lomis’ wife, and daughters Nicole and Natalia accepted the award, which was bestowed upon them by Philadelphia Eagles’ mascot Swoop at the Foundation’s Pioneer of the Year dinner in Beverly Hills on Wednesday.

A Very Good Girl premiere

Dolly de Leon and Kathryn Bernardo walked the carpet on Wednesday at the premiere of A Very Good Girl in Los Angeles.

Totally Killer Beyond Fest screening

Totally Killer director Nahnatchka Khan participated in a Q&A with filmmaker Christopher Landon at Beyond Fest on Wednesday.

All-In 4 Change luncheon

Harrah’s Resort Southern California hosted its eighth annual All-In 4 Change luncheon on Wednesday, awarding $150,000 in grants to some of Southern California’s most deserving nonprofit organizations. To amplify the recognition of this year’s winners, the property hosted its Mayor of Funner, Jane Lynch, as the official emcee to announce the grant recipients. 

New York City Ballet 2023 Fall Gala

New York City Ballet hosted its Fall Gala on Thursday, which raised $3.75M in honor of the company’s 75th anniversary. Andy Cohen, Diane Kruger, Norman Reedus, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Naomi Watts, Ariana DeBose, Karen Pittman, Molly Ringwald, Al Roker, Amy Sedaris, Christy Turlington  and Justin Theroux were among the stars in attendance.

Los Angeles Philharmonic Gala

On Thursday, the Los Angeles Philharmonic marked the 20th anniversary of Walt Disney Concert Hall at its annual gala concert by paying homage to Frank Gehry, a longtime friend of the LA Phil and the architect behind the iconic downtown L.A. venue. Guests included Alejandro González Iñárritu, Christoph Waltz, Geneva Lewis, Helen Hunt and John Williams.

IWC Schaffhausen Rodeo flagship re-opening

IWC Schaffhausen celebrated the grand re-opening of its renovated Rodeo Drive boutique on Thursday alongside Simu Liu, Aaron Paul, Damson Idris, Casey Affleck and fashion designer Greg Lauren.

Boys & Girls Club Gala

Alejandra L., a local Texas youth and first-generation Mexican American, was awarded the National Youth Of The Year by the Boys & Girls Club of America on Thursday’s gala. Celebrity attendees included Misty Copeland, Gladys Knight, Ashanti, Christopher Jackson, Craig Melvin, J.B. Smoove and Ruth Carter.

The Persian Version screening

Sony Pictures Classics and Cinema Society hosted a screening of The Persian Version in New York on Thursday with writer/director Maryam Keshavarz.

Producers Guild of America’s Debra Hill Fellowship

Jamie Lee Curtis presented the Producers Guild of America’s Debra Hill Fellowship to the 2023 recipient, Zofia Sablinska, at a reception at UTA in Beverly Hills on Thursday. Sablinska is a recent graduate of American Film Institute with an MFA in Producing. The reception was held at UTA, with PGA CEO Susan Sprung opening the event. 

Park Elm At Century Plaza launch event

David Reuben Jr. of Reuben Brothers hosted an exclusive event 500 feet in the sky on Thursday to unveil the rebranding of Century Plaza’s residential towers as Park Elm at Century Plaza. Co-hosting alongside David Reuben Jr. were Mauricio Umansky, CEO of The Agency, and James Harris and David Parnes of Bond Street Partners at The Agency. 

Barry’s 25^th anniversary

The popular exercise chain celebrated a milestone anniversary in Los Angeles with a slew of events, including the largest ever Red Room Class at Red Studios in Hollywood on Oct. 7.  More than 225 guests attended and broke a sweat during the original-style RUN x LIFT class taught by Barry’s Global CEO Joey Gonzalez. Those in attendance included Patrick Schwarzenegger and Dale Moss.

“Do the Write Thing” event

USC Annenberg’s Hollywood, Health and Society held the third in a series of “Do the Write Thing” mixers on Friday, with speakers including Anthony Sparks and Eric Haywood.