Cannes' Haiti benefit event touches home

The Carnival in Cannes benefit event on May 18th was presented by Giorgio

Armani in support of Sean Penn's J/P HRO, Paul Haggis' Artists for Peace

and Justice and Petra Nemcova's Happy Heart's Fund for their united and

extraordinary work in Haiti.



"Carnival in Cannes" , a  concert of authentic RaRa and Racine music,

created with the RAM band, Haiti's leading Racine group, was

co-sponsored by Chopard. Sean Penn has a very close connection with the

Festival de Cannes, having presented films in Competition (including The

Pledge in 2001, which he directed) and in Un Certain Regard, and he

served as President of the Jury in 2008.



The Festival de Cannes is very proud to join ranks with Sean Penn, Paul

Haggis and Petra Nemcova in their fight to help Haiti and its

inhabitants.



Thierry Fremaux commented, "Sean Penn is a good friend of the Festival

de Cannes, he came in Competition as an actor and as a director, he was

President of the Jury. But it is not the only reason why we offered to

receive him. We are greatly fascinated by his permanent and long-lasting

commitment to Haiti's recovery. And we are very pleased to be a part of

this evening which intends to raise money and honor the Haitians

themselves."



Gilles Jacob commented, "People say that a great actor is by nature

egocentric, and that a great director is focussed on his art. Sean Penn

is both a great actor and director. What he does above and beyond that

for the people and the land of Haiti, giving freely of himself, his

abiding presence, his work - one could almost say the work of his own

hands - his whole discreet, human, moral and altruistic involvement as a

benefactor, commands our greatest respect."



Giorgio Armani added, "I am proud to stand alongside Sean Penn, a man

cut from a very rare cloth. He first captivated me as an astonishing

actor. Then as a respected director. Then as a loyal friend. And now, as

a life changer. It is an honor to be a part of Sean's remarkable life of

service by joining his humanitarian efforts for the people of Haiti. For

this to come to fruition at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival marks a

career milestone for me, and demonstrates what happens when you work

with Sean, a world-class force of nature."



The J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO) was founded by Sean Penn.

It's goal is to help lift the nation of Haiti out of the rubble and give

the Haitian people a better future. J/P HRO has become a leader in Haiti

across multiple sectors working to improve living conditions in the

Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and surrounding neighborhoods

by clearing rubble, and providing medical services, education and

enrichment programs, housing construction, and neighborhood

redevelopment. J/P HRO's main objective remains to help displaced people

get back to durable, safer, and permanent homes in revitalized

neighborhoods. J/P HRO employs 1,200 people, more than 97% of whom are

Haitians.







Moira Sullivan