MUMBAI: The second day of the Dubai Film Festival saw celebrities like Matt Dillon, Christina Ricci and Mandy Moore turning out for the Cinema Against Aids gala that has targeted to raise more than US$1 million (Dh3.67m) for Aids research.

They were joined by the chorus girls from the musical Nine, bringing glamour for a good cause - the Foundation for Aids Research (amfAR).

Dillon, who was hosting the event with Ricci, called Aids "a universal condition". While the UAE has a policy of repatriating people infected with HIV, the Aids virus, who try to gain residency.

 
Dillon pointed out that his own country had had a 22-year travel ban on visitors with HIV, one that was lifted by President Barack Obama only in October. "There are challenges around the epidemic in every part of the world," he said.

For Moore, a singer and actress from the US, it was the second time on the red carpet in as many days.

Ricci said that she had a huge respect for amfAR‘s research projects adding.

"I think we have become a little de-sensitized to Aids and really need to keep up awareness of it."