How to explain the tissue shortage in Tribeca on Thursday night? The Cinema Society and Ivanka Trump Jewelry (along with Nicole Kidman, Diana Taylor, Deborah-Lee Jackman and Diane von Furstenberg) hosted a screening of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan at the Tribeca Grand, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The indie flick (which opened today) is directed by The Joy Luck Club’s Wayne Wang and produced by real-life friends Wendi Murdoch (Mrs. Rupert Murdoch herself) and Florence Sloan, and is based on the best-selling novel by Lisa See. It’s a portrait of female friendship, unfolding across two generations. In 19th century China, seven-year-old girls Snow Flower and Lily are matched as “old sames,” bound together for eternity. In a parallel story that takes places in present-day Shanghai, their descendants struggle to find the intimacy of their own childhood friendship despite demanding careers and love lives.  

 

Unlike many writers, See was perfectly comfortable handing her work over to Wang. “A book is its own art form,” she said. “It’s still sitting right there on a shelf. When you hand over your work to another artist, you want to give it new insight.” The film’s star Li Bingbing told us she was most excited about meeting Kidman for the first time, and she praised another Aussie, Hugh Jackman who has a cameo in the film. “He’s very handsome and in great shape,” Bingbing explained. “My English isn’t very good, but we can communicate with our eyes.” 

 

As always, the Cinema Society brought out an eclectic mix of boldfaced names, but this screening was particularly V-VIP. Guests included Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Diana Taylor, Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, DvF, Barry Diller, Anna Wintour, Sir Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, Harvey Weinstein & Georgina Chapman, Donna Karan, Ivan Bart, Roseanne Barr, Gayle King, Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner, Deborra-Lee Jackman, Gabourey Sidibe, Courtney Love, Carla Gugino, Famke Janssen, Kathleen Turner, Olivia Munn, Lance Bass, Melissa George, Jennifer Esposito, Caroline Rhea, Ingrid Sischy & Sandra Brant, Henry & Marie-Josee Kravis, Fran Lebowitz, Rosanna Scotto, Nora Zehetner, Laurie Anderson, Russell Simmons, Karen Elson, Irina Shayk, Jeisa Chiminazzo, Lorenzo Martone, Lance Bass, Desiree Rogers, Tonya Lee, Rachel Roy, Olivier Theyskens, Debbie Bancroft, Kelly Bensimon and Alex Lundqvist. 

 

After the screening, guests headed to 14th Street to DvF’s studio for—what else?—Chinese food. Mr.Chow catered a delicious meal of shrimp spring rolls, chicken satay, lobster tempura, and filet mignon. The room was transformed into an upscale Chinese restaurant, with lanterns hanging from the ceiling and a massive fan on the wall. Janssen, in “vintage” Rebecca Taylor, showed us pictures on her Blackberry of her upcoming role in Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters. Chiminazzo discussed Dolly Parton‘s massive popularity in Brazil, as the crowd witnessed Fran Lebowitz being put in the naughty chair by security for bringing a glass of water outside. (Arrest that man for not knowing he was in the midst of legend!) Even Regis’s buddy Gellman was there! Bravo, Andrew, for putting together another magical night at the movies. EDDIE ROCHE 

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