Inside LACMA’s Art+Film Gala 2026 Honoring Dune Helmer Denis Villeneuve

Museums are many things: cultural institutions that serve as sources of inspiration, exhibitions of creativity, bridges to the past and freeways to the future. For Denis Villeneuve, museums have “always been super food.”

“Every time I walk into one, I feel like a vampire sucking the energy from the walls. And, one way or another, it ends up in one of my films,” explained the blockbuster director while standing at a podium Saturday night on the grounds of one of his favorites, LACMA in Los Angeles.

Museums, especially this one, can also just be a great place for a glamorous party. Every November, LACMA transforms its grounds into a nest for A-listers from many industries for its marquee fundraiser, Art+Film, which honors a chosen one from each discipline. Representing cinema this year, honoree Villeneuve masterfully paid respects to both as he accepted his prize following a tribute from casual acquaintance and devoted admirer Nicole Kidman, who flew in from Australia specifically to say some nice things on stage. (Villeneuve returned the favor by praising her risk-taking across decades and calling her work in Jonathan Glazer’s Birth, “one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen on screen.”)

“When a museum, a temple for artists, welcomes a filmmaker and puts the spotlight on the cinema, it means a great deal for me, especially this museum because LACMA has already given me so much,” explained Villeneuve, honored on the eve of the anticipated release of Dune: Part Three on Dec. 18. “As an example, I was preparing Arrival and I didn’t yet know how to direct the film. I was looking for guidance. Then I walked into the James Turrell exhibition here in LACMA [on view May 26, 2013-April 6, 2014]. I watched people standing in a room in front of a bridge, covered in light, in silence and in awe. Then I thought, OK, I know how to direct the film now. I know how to direct Arrival. And Arrival, in many ways, is an homage to the afternoon spent at LACMA.”

Villeneuve delivered the remarks in a tented pavilion that hosted more than 600 guests, including movie stars, actors, moguls, models, artists, philanthropists, fashion designers and more. Soaking in the scene were his Dune stars Timothée Chalamet (with Kylie Jenner) and Anya Taylor Joy, Viola Davis, Kim Kardashian, Al Pacino, Andrew Garfield with Monica Barbaro, Sarah Paulson, Curry Barker, Daniel Scheinert, Jerry Bruckheimer, Larry Gagosian, Alix Earle, Julia Garner, Phil Lord, Alex Consani, Paris Hilton, Odessa A’zion, Sienna Miller, Spike Jonze, Tyriq Withers, Emma Watson, Parker Posey, CAA’s Joel Lubin and Franklin Latt, artists Alex Israel, Alex Prager, Barbara Kruger, Cathy Opie, Ed Ruscha, Honor Titus, Delfin and Kohshin Finley, Lauren Halsey, Mark Bradford, Charles Gaines and many more. (See THR’s red carpet gallery for more names here.) Representing Gucci, back for another year as presenting sponsor, were creative director Demna and CEO Francesca Bellettini.

Some boldfaced names not in the building still got shout-outs from the podium. Villeneuve recalled how, as a pre-teen growing up in Quebec, Canada, all of his pals were reading about hockey while he was obsessed with Steven Spielberg. “He became my hero,” he said. “Steven is the reason I’m standing here today, and I’m lucky enough now to be able to call him a friend. And then came James Cameron. These are titans.” He also name-checked fellow auteurs Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Chloé Zhao, “three fellow artists pushing the boundaries of cinematic expression in the most original ways.”

Kidman, a unique choice to offer a tribute to Villeneuve because she admitted she’s “never really met Denis” and they’ve never worked together. “I’ve met him on some red carpets and sort of waved at him, and at one time I said hello in a crowded room at an Armani store. It is L.A.,” she noted. “And yet somehow I feel like I know the deepest parts of him because that is what extraordinary filmmakers do. They let you in. They reveal themselves to us through their work. They invite you into their imaginations, into their dreams, into their questions, and into their fears. I saw in Incendies, Prisoners, Sicario, Blade Runner, Arrival, and of course the Dune movies, and I feel like that transcends anything that needs an introduction because his films explore the great mysteries of our existence.”

Kidman said when she was asked to take the stage, it was an immediate yes even if it required a long-haul flight. “I just love his movies, as I’m sure so many people in this room do. I really love them though, because when they asked me to present this award, I knew I was going to be in Australia and I went, ‘Absolutely. I will fly 15 hours to be here to be able to give him this award.’ And the reason for that is because I want to say thank you to Denis. Thank you because you make big movies, you make extraordinary movies, you make important movies and you make sympathetic movies. They are vast, they’re mysterious, they’re sometimes terrifying, but they are always profoundly human.”

In his acceptance speech, Villeneuve revealed a little about his creative expression, too, and used it as a lead-in to confront the existential crisis imposed by artificial intelligence. “At the heart of every one of my films, there’s a question I need to answer. The audience may see it or they may not, and that is fine. For me, each film is a statement to the unknown to try and find that answer. Perhaps those questions are more urgent now than ever,” he explained. “We are at the crossroad, asking what defines a human being and what human expression is worth? Every parent on Earth is a little worried about the world of our children will inherit. That question is at the heart of Dune: Part Three with Paul and Chani fighting to give their children a better world than the one they were given.”

He continued: “For a filmmaker today, it is very real. I have a choice. I can create something with a prompt or I can go into the desert with actors, with a crew and go on a real adventure where I learn about life and become better at my craft. Those are two different things. Well, I know there’s producers in the room and they will say that one is more expensive than the other. More important than the result is the process. The process is how the human experience acquires its meaning. In this moment in time, it is more important than ever that human beings keep making art together. That is the heritage I want to give to my children.”

Speaking of heritage, Villeneuve will next take the reins of the iconic James Bond franchise as his next directing project, which is currently in the late stages of a hotly followed casting process. To close his speech, Villeneuve played into the headlines with a little mic drop moment: “To express my gratitude with the blessing of my new friends at Amazon, I will reveal to you tonight who will be the next James Bond. The new James Bond is… and I will stop right now because Amy Pascal is about to have a heart attack. Thank you very much.”

The fake-out drew plenty of laughs. In lieu of the naming of a new 007, there was some other breaking news shared from the stage as longtime co-chair Eva Chow, who has presided over the gala since its inception alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, announced that she would be stepping down after the milestone 15th installment Saturday. LACMA chief Michael Govan telegraphed that something major was coming as he saved a generous portion of his introductory comments for Chow by praising her as the super connector and glamorous glue that helped solidify the event and make it such a fundraising force for the institution. (Govan also announced that Saturday’s event, the first to be held following the opening of the landmark David Geffen Galleries, raised a record-breaking nearly $7 million, “our best year yet.”)

“Your love of art comes from your own practice. As a young girl, you were a bit of a watercolor painting prodigy, so art was in your DNA from the beginning. And of course you went on to be a fashion designer and your art continues to be strong, especially in bringing creative worlds together. As a trustee of LACMA who is now living in LA and Seoul, you perfectly epitomize our local and global reach,” Govan said. “You’ve added so much to our vision of connecting many fields, many continents, many worlds, and you do it all with a sense of style and beauty that is remarkable.”

Govan then welcomed Chow to the stage to deliver remarks, which she always does during Art+Film. But this time, she took a brief walk down memory lane before making her announcement. She recalled how “exciting, challenging and ambitious” the early days were when they were getting the fundraiser off the ground. She called in favors to people like Stevie Wonder, who agreed to be the musical performer at the inaugural event, which honored Clint Eastwood and John Baldessari.

“That first evening set the tone for everything that followed,” she said. “It is difficult to put 15 years of memories, friendship, experiences into a few words. This gala has been such an important part of my life. To have started with an idea and to see it grow into one of Los Angeles’ most celebrated traditions has been one of great privileges of my life. I leave this chapter with tremendous pride, wonderful memories, and above all gratitude. I hope this gala will continue to grow and inspire future generations, bringing together the world of art and film for many years to come. Tonight, let’s celebrate our honorees and the creativity, the friendships and everything we have built together.”

The night’s other honoree, representing the art world, was Vija Celmins, who charmed the crowd with a brief yet endearing acceptance speech and in a tribute video produced by LACMA Productions, seen below. After thanking Govan and her art dealer Matthew Marks, Celmins quipped, “It’s a pleasure to be here. You guys are just crazy party people. It’s really a revelation for me.”

Global pop superstar Rosé closed the show with a four-song set that included her smash hit “APT,” “Number One Girl” (as requested by Chow), the Killers cover “Read My Mind” and her new single “new trick.” She wrapped at 10:30 p.m., and many of the guests headed straight for the valet and off into the night for the next stop at an invite-only after party at Chow’s house. Maybe Celmins was right.