“There is no industry event that combines schmooze and booze so elegantly.” So said Ralph Fiennes about the annual dinner held on the eve of Britain’s biggest night of film and fashion, the BAFTAs. In celebration of silver-screen excellence, for 25 years the producer, publisher and party-giver par excellence Charles Finch has gathered both homegrown and Hollywood’s finest actors, directors and screenwriters for an evening that gives the A-list a moment to raise a glass, relax, and celebrate the past 12 months.

The soirée, at which even the stars get starstruck, has been held with Chanel for 23 years, ensuring that it is one of the most chic evenings of awards season. If you receive an invite, it’s the golden ticket to joining the movers and shakers within the industry, those who shape cinema past and present. The duo hold parties around the world at this time of year including the Oscars, but the London iteration is imbued with the boldness and creativity that characterises British film and the arts – nowhere else would you find Tracey Emin talking painting and camerawork with Tom Hooper over roast lamb.

While some things have changed over the past quarter-century, much has remained consistent, including the mariachi band that welcomes guests and irresistibly raises spirits (including those of Kylie – who, in 2007, got involved), and annual returning guests such as Mariella Frostrup and Christiane Amanpour. Ever-present, too, are joyous moments of reunion: whether its Fiennes and Meryl Streep having a hug, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper exchanging stories at dinner, or Christian Louboutin and Bob Geldof discussing filmmaking. This year was no different, with the best-actress nominee Demi Moore visibly enjoying every moment of The Substance success, Tom Cruise dropping in for dinner and a mischievous Jeff Goldblum making the magic happen.