Demi Moore Hits Cannes to Honor Mike Faist, Sophie Wilde at Chopard Gala

Demi Moore hit the Cannes red carpet on Friday for the first time in nearly 30 years, having last attended with then-husband Bruce Willis for the premiere of The Fifth Element in 1997. This year is all about Moore as she has a film in the competition courtesy of Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance and official duties on behalf of Chopard.

It was the latter commitment that brought her to the Palais last night. Moore joined the luxury jeweler’s co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele and rising stars Mike Faist and Sophie Wilde ahead of the late-night Trophée Chopard gala ceremony at Carlton Beach. Moore was tapped to serve as the godmother of the festivities, a role that saw her take the stage and present the trophies, which are given to next-generation talents. Faist is coming off the success of Challengers and before that, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Wilde is best known for a breakout turn in the horror hit Talk to Me.

“It’s been 27 years since I was at Cannes for the festival, and my first time having a film participating,” Moore said upon being welcomed to the stage by Scheufele and fest royalty Thierry Fremaux and Iris Knobloch. “This place represents not just the top of cinematic art, but a place where dreams come through frames and stories. And the location isn’t too shabby either.” She added: “There’s no other place where you can show up and they bring jewels to your door every day.”

Special deliveries are thanks to Chopard, a company that in addition to sponsoring the festival designs the coveted Palme d’Or. Friday’s gala dinner is typically a starry affair as it’s an official date on the festival schedule so it hosts the competition jury and other fest insiders. As such, jury president Greta Gerwig was on the scene along with Omar Sy, Eva Green, Lily Gladstone, J.A. Bayona, and Xavier Dolan. Other guests included Kevin Costner (in town for the world premiere of his Horizon), L’Oréal ambassador Eva Longoria, Carla Bruni, stylist Brad Goreski, Emmanuelle Béart, and James Franco, among others. Singer Dana Al Farden entertained the crowd with a performance.

“I feel very honored to be here at my very first Cannes,” said Faist during his acceptance speech, after jokingly calling out whomever packaged his clips reel for including so many “deep cuts” from his work. “I had the great privilege last night to watch Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola’s film, and I feel as if that one person’s first Cannes at such a lovely experience may be possibly someone’s last. I don’t take that lightly, and I am really honored that you guys would think of me at all.”

Faist said the honor makes him feel as if he’s “standing on the shoulders of giants” both in the room and in the industry. “It’s not something to be taken lightly, and I hold it with deep fragility.”

During brief comments, Wilde said, “There’s something so sort of surreal, yet incredibly special about being recognized by a group of people who you really admire and whose work has been a kind of constant source of inspiration.” She then singled out Moore. “What an icon. It’s just so sick.”

Chopard’s creative director Caroline Scheufele hatched the idea for the honor more than two decades ago. “I saw, obviously, when you’re A-list, it’s very easy but I saw young talent struggling and I said, ‘I want to help the cinema,” Scheufele said during brief comments on stage where she was joined by festival royalty, Thierry Fremaux and Iris Knobloch. “I came up with this idea to have a Chopard trophy to kick start the talents, and here we are 23 years down the road and this is what it became.”

Being invited to participate had Moore feeling very “lucky” as godmother to two “extraordinary” talents, she said. “In my country, being a godmother means that you have no responsibility, that you get to give the kids all the things that the parents don’t allow, like candy and toys. So, to the two of you, if you ever need any junk food, any goodies, I’m your lady,” she joked. “That said, I feel that you are both so accomplished and talented that I argue you need nothing for me. You have all the resources within yourselves to handle whatever comes your way. But as your appointed godmother, remember, I’m not just here for the fun stuff. You don’t have to do it alone.”