HFPA lunch toasts $1.6 mil in grants or loans

Mark Wahlberg and Leonardo DiCaprio attend the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. lunch Thursday in the Beverly Hillsides Hotel. The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. put together Leonardo DiCaprio, Gerard Butler, Jum Michele and sundry other stars Thursday mid-day to fete the org's charitable efforts, which this season totaled an archive $1,579,500 in grants or loans to film schools, nonprofit orgs along with other entertainment-related non profit organizations. A lean, shaggy-headed Butler was initially to accept stage in the Beverly Hillsides Hotel, giving method to a succession of Hollywood talent who recognized or presented inspections with respect to orgs such as the Film Foundation, Film Independent, Sundance Institute, LACMA, MoMA and many colleges, fundamentals and scholarship grant programs. Butler, available to provide a grant to the skill of Elysium, introduced recently chosen HFPA prexy Aida Takla O'Reilly, who been successful Philip Berk in June. "After present day festivities," O'Reilly stated, "we are able to happily say our company has contributed a lot more than $13.5 million in the last 17 years through our grants or loans program." Gold coin originates from the HFPA's Golden Globes show, which airs on NBC. Carrying out a shoulder-to-shoulder champagne cocktail reception, Kevin Sausage, Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Chastain yet others made an appearance in rapid succession, concluding the quickly paced enter in an hour's time. DiCaprio, showing a $350,000 grant towards the Film Foundation because of its upkeep efforts, ribbed Wahlberg because he produced happens, calling him "Marky Mark." Wahlberg was quick to retort. "I am sitting alongside a man there, Leo, who's better searching than you and also in better shape than me," Wahlberg stated, pointing to "Twilight" hunk Rachelle Lefervre. "We are screwed, guy. 'Titanic' and 'Boogie Nights' were a very long time ago." Overall, 46 film schools and non-profits received grants or loans varying from $5,000 (the Pablove Foundation, a photograph work for sick children) to $350,000 (the Film Foundation). Donations also incorporated relief to profit sufferers of disasters all over the world. "Over $250,000 was contributed to individuals impacted by the Haitian and Chilean earthquakes and also the Japanese tsunami," O'Reilly stated. Event also celebrated the election from the HFPA's 2011-12 officials, created by O'Reilly, who quickly rattled and shook off their names because they was up using their plates of filet Mignon, Chilean seabass and gnocchi for any quick wave. They incorporated: Jorge Camara (Vice president), Ali Sar (treasurer), Serge Rakhlin (executive secretary). The board of company directors people include Berk (chairman), Yoram Kahana, Yukiko Nakajima, Ruben Nepales, Meher Tatna and Theo Kingma (alternate). Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com