Chanel Hosts A Starry Night with MoMA at Its 16th Annual Film Benefit!

The Museum honored actor Samuel L. Jackson with an elegant evening celebrating film and philanthropy

by Elizabeth Kurpis
Chanel, MoMa, Museum of Modern Art, events

The Museum of Modern Art’s 2024 Film Benefit, presented by Chanel, honored prolific actor Samuel L. Jackson last night at a splashy dinner within the Museum halls. Many of the actor’s friends and colleagues came out with supportive tributes, including Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Walton Goggins, Kenny Leon, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, and MoMA’s Chief Curator of Film Rajendra Roy (along with pre-filmed well-wishes from Brie Larson and George Lucas).

Naturally, stars aplenty swanned around the event in Chanel attire, such as longtime Chanel collaborator Sofia Coppola. In her company were other notables like Amanda Seyfried, Meghann Fahy, Danielle Deadwyler, Natasha Lyonne, LL Cool J, Dianna Agron, Nicole Ari Parker, Andrew Rannells, Emily Mortimer, Iris Apatow, Lauren Santo Domingo, Phoebe Tonkin, David Alan Grier, Molly Ringwald, Peter Marino, Cleo Wade, Derek Blasberg, Barbara Bush, Dan Colen, Tamara Mellon, Thelma Golden, Rashid Johnson, and Sarah Arison, President of the MoMA Board of Trustees. 

Samuel L. Jackson

Chanel’s long-standing relationship with both the Film Benefit and filmmakers and actresses over the years stems from Gabrielle Chanel’s first ties with early forms of cinema. She traveled to Hollywood at the invitation of American producer Samuel Goldwyn to dress Gloria Swanson and other actresses, having understood how fashion could use filmmaking to speak to women universally. The brand’s second creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, perpetuated this heritage by surrounding himself with actresses—who wore his creations in films and on red carpets over the decades. As an avid film buff, Lagerfeld frequently went behind the camera himself to tell the Chanel story on film, as well.

The Film Benefit, which Chanel has sponsored since 2021, enables the continued maintenance and growth of MoMA’s collection of over 30,000 films and 1.5 million film stills. Additionally, the evening also funds its virtual programming, scheduling of film series, premieres, festivals, and retrospectives. Grammy Award-winning singer TEMS—who was introduced by actress Danielle Deadwyler—closed the event with a smashing performance that will surely be one to remember.

Images: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

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