Diane von Furstenberg Hosted the Ultimate Females in Film Power Lunch Ahead of the Oscars

Diane von Furstenberg hosted her annual Oscars luncheon on Wednesday, celebrating female nominees at her home in Beverly Hills. Now in its tenth year, the event, co-hosted by filmmakers Ava DuVernay and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios, Donna Langley, took the ladies lunch to the next level with its high wattage, international guest list.

“This is an event that we have done for many years where we celebrate the female nominees and, not just the actresses or supporting actresses, but the ones who actually make the movies,” said Von Furstenberg of the crowd which included The Substance writer and director Coralie Fargeat, A Complete Unknown costume designer Arianne Phillips, Wicked makeup artist Laura Blount and The Brutalist screenwriter Mona Fastvold, to name a few.

As guests arrived at the hunting lodge–style home designed by Francois Catroux, on what turned out to be an unseasonably hot day, they were greeted with glasses of chilled rosé and lemonade. Much of the talk was about the previous night’s nominee dinner held at the Academy Museum during which the annual nominee class photo was taken – a tradition that usually takes place in January but was canceled due to the Southern California wildfires.

Before the crowd, which also included actress Zooey Deschanel, designer Aurora James, stylist Jamie Mizrahi and entrepreneur Emma Grede, took their seats for an alfresco lunch, the co-hosts took a moment to recognize the significance of the gathering.

“This week [before the Oscars] is filled with all kinds of events, and on Sunday, you’ll be in a room with all kinds of people,” said DuVernay. “But I believe there’s a special joy when you’re around people who feel like family, like community…you can look across the table and see a sister. And so often we are in spaces where it’s hard to find each other... so we thank you.”

Over a spread of shaved Brussels sprouts, poached salmon and potato salad, Dove Cameron serenaded the party with a rendition of At Last, before singing a couple of numbers from her upcoming album. And, as the plates were cleared, the discussion quickly turned to fashion (what, who would be wearing to the awards ceremony) and politics (inevitably).

Sensing the anxiety perhaps, Von Furstenberg—whose career has been all about empowering women–left the group with some words of wisdom before the luncheon wrapped up. “I want to leave you with three words that I wrote in my diary on New Year’s Eve, and I wish for myself: strength, kindness, and agility. Don’t forget about agility. The world is so crazy right now that we really need agility. So pack light, be ready for anything, and remember to be in charge. Once you are in charge, you can also practice the power of kindness.”