Madonna was present on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival this week to present her documentary “I Am Because We Are,” which premiered last month at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The Nathan Rissman-directed documentary “I Am Because We Are” was screened outside the official festival this week. Madonna wrote, narrated and produced the film, which focuses on the impoverished orphans of Malawi and the efforts of Raising Malawi.

The humanitarian aid program, co-founded by Madonna, aims to help the underprivileged and at-risk children of Malawi. She has succeeded in bringing much attention to the cause.

Rissman made his directing debut with the documentary, as he has worked for Madonna as a gardener and has looked after her children. The singer told the Associated Press Rissman is a “great nanny,” while the first-time filmmaker said Madonna “loves to give people opportunities.”

He confessed he had always tried to do his very best at whatever task he was given, to which Madonna replied, “And I noticed.”

Madonna also attended a gala benefit dinner for the American Foundation for AIDS Research and auctioned a private concert worth $350,000 for two “very lucky people,” reports Reuters.

Last month, she attended the 7th annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York to promote “I Am Because We Are.”

Malawi is close to Madonna’s heart from one very personal angle as well. She and husband Guy Ritchie commenced the process of adopting Malawian baby David Banda, now 2-years-old, in 2006. The couple has been raising the little boy together with son Rocco, 7, and daughter Lourdes, 11.

Madonna has been amply criticized for taking David out of his native country significantly earlier than the 18-to-24-month assessment period. The Malawian government has been accused of favoring Madonna, in spite of laws forbidding foreigners from adopting children in Malawi.

The singer told reporters in Cannes that the criticism was “painful” and a “struggle,” and that she ultimately viewed it as “my own kind of birthing pains,” comparable to the suffering a woman goes though when she has natural childbirth.

Earlier this month, Malawi’s High Court delayed its ruling on whether the adoption may proceed or not, so it could review a new human rights report which says the move would be illegal.

A ruling is expected to be issued next week.