Colman Domingo to Host AmfAR Gala at 2025 Venice Film Festival
NEW ROLE: The 82nd edition of the Venice International Film Festival will once again be the stage for a key charity event.
On Tuesday, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, announced that award-winning actor Colman Domingo will be the host of its annual benefit gala to be held on Aug. 31 in Venice.
The black-tie event will take place during the festival, which runs from Aug. 27 until Sept. 6, at the Arsenale, a complex of former shipyards and armories. The program will include a musical performance, cocktails, a dinner and a live auction of contemporary artworks and exclusive experiences.
“We are deeply grateful to Colman Domingo for his commitment to our cause and for recognizing the importance of amfAR’s work,” said the foundation’s chief executive officer Kevin Robert Frost. “There are still 40 million people living with HIV worldwide, and fundraising events like amfAR Venezia that support our efforts to find a cure for HIV remain as critically important as ever.”
Recent honorees of amfAR Venezia have included actors Antonio Banderas, Richard Gere, Ava DuVernay, film director Ferzan Ozpetek, the entrepreneur Achille Boroli and movie producer Mohammed Al Turki.
Domingo most recently served as a chair of amfAR’s 2025 Cannes gala along with Pedro Almodovar, Tom Cruise and Michelle Yeoh, among others. The event sponsored by Chopard raised $17 million for the nonprofit’s biomedical research programs. Also, the actor cohosted the 2025 Met Gala, which featured the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” Cochairs included Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour.
As house ambassador for Valentino, Domingo wore custom Valentino looks on both occasions.
The presenting sponsor of amfAR Venezia will be World Gold Council, while San Clemente Palace Kempinski is the official hotel partner.
