Breaking Through

Niv Fichman, Sonoko Sakai, Alice Braga, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Don McKellar, Fernando Meirelles, and Daniel Battsek at The Cinema Society's screening of “Blindness.”

Last Tuesday night, the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) held its annual gala, “Breaking Through,” at The Rockefeller University. Governor David Paterson was presented with the organization’s inaugural Leadership Award for his ongoing commitment to making New York State a center of stem cell research. Mayor Bloomberg also addressed the 250 attendees, who helped raise more than $700,000 to support NYSCF’s mission to fund and facilitate the most innovative stem cell research with the goal of finding cures for the most devastating diseases of our time.

WNYC radio host Leonard Lopate served as master of ceremonies, whose dinner chairs were Leslie and Chuck Close, Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller, Marlene Hess and James D. Zirin, and Noelle and Dick Wolf. Among the other NYSCF supporters in attendance were Jodie and John Eastman, Liz Robbins and Doug Johnson, Sarah and Seth Glickenhaus, Eileen and Richard Ekstract, Alicia Bythewood, and Betsy and Clifford Ross.

NYSCF Staff.

Founded in 2005, The New York Stem Cell Foundation is a privately funded foundation dedicated to furthering stem cell research to advance the search for cures of the major diseases of our time. The Foundation opened the first privately funded stem cell laboratory in New York City in March 2006 to serve as a “safe haven” where scientists can conduct advanced stem cell research free of federal restrictions. The organization supports scientists engaged in stem cell research through grants, fellowships and symposia; runs collaborative, state-of-the-art research facilities supported entirely with private funds and directly focused on curing disease; and educates the public about the importance and potential benefits of stem cell research.

Diana L.Taylor and Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Dana Ball, Dr. Edward Baetge, Dr. Kevin Eggan, and David Panzirer

Byron Wien, John Eastman, Anita Wien, and Seth Glickenhaus

Andrew Gordon, Chris Browne, and Aniik Libby

Anita and Byron Wien

Fred Shuman, Bonnie Englebardt Lautenberg, Carol Einiger, and Roger Einiger

Monica Dugot, Todd Linden, Alan Cohen, Deborah Cohen, Chip Loewenson, and Susan Brune

Dr. Roy Geronemus and Dr. Karen Burke

Alex Goldberger, Susan L. Solomon, and Paul Goldberger

Monica Dugot, Todd Linden, and Deborah Cohen

Gail Geronemus, Sarah Glickenhaus, Seth Glickenhaus, and Paul Goldberger

Geoffrey Hoguet, Annalu Ponti, and John Eastman

Leonard Lopate and Chuck Close

John Eastman, Jodie Eastman, Jeanne Collins, and John Elderfield

Andrew Gordon, Paul Healy, and Didier Malaquin

Jan Breslow, Marilyn Breslow, Pam Flaherty, and Peter Flaherty

Janet Felleman, Dr. Asa Abeliovich, Jeffery Stern, and Susan Stern

Paul Goldberger, John Phillips, and Clifford Ross

Mira Mullin and Richard Ekstract

Dr. Lawrence Sturman, Susan L. Solomon, and Dr. Robin Anthony Elliott

David Carmel, Governor David Paterson, and Susan L. Solomon

Ravi Suria, Laura Henson, Atul Sharma, Michael McKee, and Katherine Burton

Mira Spektor and Dolores Karl

Dr. Zach Hall and Dr. Lawrence Sturman

Yet another galaxy of stars turned up for The Cinema Society and John Hardy’s screening of Blindness.

The film, a story of humanity in the grip of an epidemic of mysterious blindness, was directed by Academy Award nominated director Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener, City of God) and adapted from the novel by Nobel Prize winning author Jose Saramago. Meirelles was in attendance, along with the film’s stars Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Alice Braga and Don McKellar (who also wrote the screenplay).

Cinema Society founder Andrew Saffir welcomed a glittering group to the screening and the chic party which followed atop the hip Gramercy Park Hotel, including Bart Freundlich, Kirsten Dunst, Gina Gershon, Helena Christensen, Isabella Rossellini, Parker Posey, Judith Light, Alexie Gilmore, Norman Reedus, B-52’s Fred Schneider, Salman Rushdie, Narciso Rodriguez, Francisco Costa, Kelly Bensimon, Thom Filicia, Carson Kressley, Thom Filicia, Zuleikha Robinson, Meredith Ostrom, Keira Chaplin, Derek Blasberg, Daniel Benedict, Irina Pantaeva, Alex Lundqvist, Johannes Huebl, Olivia Palermo, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Fern Mallis, John Hardy’s Mindy Grimes and Guy Bedarida, producers Niv Fichman and Sonoko Sakai and Miramax President Daniel Battsek.

Andrew Saffir and Julianne Moore

Bart Freundlich

Kirsten Dunst and Julianne Moore

Guy Bedarida and Kelly Killoren Bensimon

Alexie Gilmore

Guy Bedarida and Leslie Stevens

Alice Braga

Helena Christensen and Andrew Saffir

Francisco Costa

Don McKellar, Isabella Rossellini, and Niv Fichman

Derek Blasberg, Emily Holt, and Lyle Maltz

Fernando Meirelles

Danny Glover

Keira Chaplin

Thom Filicia and Carson Kressley

Nur Khan, Richard Sachs, and Alberto Mugrabi

Fabiola Beracasa

Fern Mallis

Judith Light

Fred Schneider

Irina and Arkady Pantaeva

Gina Gershon

Mindy Grimes

Jennifer Missoni and Zuleikha Robinson

Norman Reedus

Narciso Rodriguez

Meredith Ostrom

Salman Rushdie

Peter Davis and Jackie Astier

Sunrise and Mark Ruffalo

Parker Posey and Emma Tapley

Liliana Dominguez and Thomas Hayo

Perry Moore, Mickey Boardman, and Hunter Hill

Johannes Huebl and Olivia Palermo

Daniel Benedict

Keytt and Alex Lundqvist

Williams-Sonoma Home opened its first retail store in Manhattan at The Shops at Columbus Circle last Monday night. Among the Smart (design) Set on hand were Celerie Kemble, Charlotte Moss, Bunny Williams, Steven Gambrel, Philip Gorrivan, Alexa Hampton, Carolyn Englefield, and Jesse Carrier.

Steven Gambrel and friends

Abigail Jacobs, Heather Clawson, and Tricia Barroll Sellman

John Roselli, Bunny Williams, and Dave DeMattei

Kirsty Williams, Dave DeMattei, Patrick Wade, and Monelle Totah

Alexa Hampton and Duane Hampton

Allison Spear and husband

Celerie Kemble and Carolyn Englefield

Charlotte Moss and friends

Mara Miller and Jesse Carrier with friends

Heather Clawson

Ondine Karady, Eddie Ross, and friend

Sims Bray Jr, and Charlotte Moss

Patrick Wade and Jose Picayo

Williams-sonoma Home store team-Davide, Carline, Rodney, Mi'shell, and Curtis

Dave DeMattei, Marianne Rohrlich, Robert Verdi, and Dierdre

Sims Bray Jr., Katie Brockman, and Barclay Butera

Top row: Phillip Gorrivan, Carolyn Englefield, Steven Gambrel, Alexa Hampton, Jesse Carrier. Bottom row: Charlotte Moss, Celerie Kemble, and Bunny Williams

Jesse Carrier, Tricia Barroll Sellman, Dave DeMattei, and Mara Miller

Tricia Barroll Sellman, Nina Zagat, Tim Zagat, and Dave DeMattei

Mara Miller, Jesse Carrier, and Mrs. and Mr. Bob Pittman

Photographs by PatrickMcMullan.com & Mia McDonald Matheson (Sonoma).

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