Brad Pitt, KevinBacon, Sally Field and Ziyi Zhang were among the celebrities acceptingcharitable donations on behalf of various non-profit organisations from theLA-based Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) yesterday at the group'sannual installation luncheon.

Over $1m wasdonated to charitable causes. Pittaccepted a $250,000 cheque for the Film Foundation's film preservation andrestoration projects, Bacon collected $93,000 for FIND's training and mentoringprogramme, Field accepted $75,000 towards the Sundance Institute'sinternational initiative, and Zhang received a $50,000 cheque for FilmAidInternational's Sudanese refugee relief scheme.

Otherbeneficiaries included Outfest, Inner City Filmmakers, the Latin AmericanCinemateca of Los Angeles, the American Film Institute, and the Young MusiciansFoundation.

Othersparticipating in the presentations included actors Emmy Rossum, Peter Falk,Jesse Bradford and America Ferrara, and former MPAA chief Jack Valenti.

New HFPApresident Philip Berk introduced the new officers of the HFPA, namely vicepresident Mahfouz Doss, treasurer Jorge Camara, executive secretary MeherTatna, and board members Lorenzo Soria (chairman), Yani Begakis, Yoram Kahana,Mira Panajotovic, Noemia Young, and Silvia Bizio (alternate).