Nightlife guru Richie Akiva is aware of the best way to throw a soiree. Thursday night time was no completely different, when Akiva threw his annual The After celebration following the amfAR gala throughout the Cannes Movie Competition.

Tucked away at a villa in Cannes, a stone’s throw from Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (the place the distinguished amfAR gala was held), the afterparty, thrown by Akiva and co-host Badius, lured celebrities and featured a rotating roster of DJs who saved the celebration going till 9:30 a.m. 

Among the many celebrities in attendance had been Michelle Rodriguez, music stars Tyga and Future, fashions Alton Mason and Winnie Harlow, and Cher with boyfriend Alexander “AE” Edwards, who allegedly was on the middle of a bodily altercation with fellow attendee Travis Scott, in line with experiences. (The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to reps for Scott and Tyga, who was reportedly concerned within the struggle, for remark, however they haven’t responded.)

Akiva’s celebration is among the strictest doorways throughout Cannes, with a good visitor record and a gate to be let by way of. Visitors then go up a protracted, candlelit driveway main as much as the villa.

The celebration has grown lately, in accordance Akiva, which is one thing he’s considering of dialing again, he instructed THR the day after the bash. (THR was not conscious of the experiences of a bodily altercation on the celebration when this interview happened.)

“Our first celebration in Cannes was in 2013 or 2014,” says Akiva, recalling how the celebration started. “We had our associates and those that had been staying with us, and we at all times had a pleasant home near the amfAR gala, and we simply needed to ask our associates again to the home. So it began out a little bit bit smaller and unique, it wasn’t like it’s now. And it’s going to return to that subsequent 12 months.”

Inside this 12 months’s celebration, the room was awash in a purple-and-white mild present. All through the night time, DJs together with Diplo, DJ Cruz, DJ Ruckus, Hale Zero and Kaz James saved the celebration going.

Over the course of the night time, the dance flooring was packed, whereas all through the villa, bars had been arrange with drinks in several rooms, the place friends relaxed and chatted.

Halfway by way of the night time, Akiva could possibly be noticed on the dance flooring welcoming artists like Scott.

“I’m actually happy with this occasion and outdoors of the Met Gala that is in all probability my greatest occasion. Everyone seems to be telling me they’d a blast final night time. For me, they don’t perceive how I really feel about it as a result of I’m a perfectionist. I don’t assume it was one in every of my finest ones,” mentioned Akiva, who spoke extra about what the vibe was like throughout the early years of the celebration.

“There can be Kate Hudson dancing within the sofa and issues had been intimate,” continued Akiva. “We wish to get again to that. We’re all associates, with our mannequin and movie star associates, and we knew each particular person there and you may simply discuss on the celebration when it first began. Like, Kanye [West] would stand up and carry out. It began natural and small and grew and grew as associates needed to become involved. However now there are too many cooks within the kitchen. I have to convey the soul again into the occasion by altering the home so individuals received’t know the place the occasion is. It has been on the similar villa for the previous six to seven years so everybody is aware of the place it’s. Additionally, there are too many holes the place safety is getting paid off to let individuals in. When it’s smaller you possibly can hold issues tight and hold individuals accountable.”

In the course of the pageant, Akiva says he’s been spending time taking part in video games with associates. “We play water volleyball and swim and it’s will get actually aggressive. It’s simply my associates and I, and we play sport after sport, the place we now have groups. We don’t actually do the social occasions, the day golf equipment or the seashore golf equipment. We don’t do any of that stuff. We simply have a giant lunch right here as a result of we don’t actually exit to lunch anymore.”

In February, Akiva introduced that he’s now not aside of The Ned Nomad, a members-only New York Metropolis membership and resort the place Rihanna and Emily Ratajkowski have been fixtures.

However ever transferring, Akiva has new tasks within the works. “I’m constructing three tasks proper now in New York. Considered one of them is a resort that I’ll open in two years, in addition to a restaurant and my final nightclub ever. There’s a spot known as Ferdi that I took the rights to that’s in Paris and I’m bringing it to New York.”