分类： entertainment

RIYADH — The third Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, now open at JAX District’s repurposed warehouses until May 2, presents a profound exploration of movement, migration, and temporal transitions through diverse artistic mediums. Titled ‘In Interludes and Transitions’ (Arabic: ‘Fil hil wal terhal’), the exhibition features 68 international artists, including over 25 newly commissioned works, curated by Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed.

Bangladeshi artist Sarker Protick’s photographic series ‘Awngar’ investigates British colonial railway infrastructure in historic Bengal, connecting coal mining regions across Bangladesh and India. His luminous photographs examine how transportation networks shaped South Asian identity while subtly commenting on colonialism’s environmental legacy.

Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj presents ‘Very volcanic over this green feather,’ an installation born from childhood memories of the Kosovo War that transforms trauma into imaginative resistance. ‘Fantasy and invention are not escapes, they are necessities,’ Halilaj explained, describing his work as advocating ‘tenderness and vulnerability as political positions.’

French sculptor Théo Mercier’s ‘House of Eternity’ creates archaeological fiction from 400 tonnes of locally sourced sand, resembling ancient desert monoliths. This paradoxical installation—both permanent and ephemeral—will be returned to its original dunes post-exhibition, highlighting sand as both allegory and exploited resource.

The biennale’s opening ceremony featured Mohammed Alhamdan’s procession performance ‘Folding the Tents,’ with roaring Chasse cars heralding Saudi Arabia’s growing contemporary art scene. Notable video works include Raqs Media Collective’s ‘Something Rare to Lose’ and Saudi artist Ahaad Alamoudi’s dreamlike imagery exploring elusive pursuit.

UAE connections appear through Abu Dhabi-born Afra Al Dhaheri’s plexiglass dining table and Abdullah Al Saadi’s ‘The Slipper’s Journey’ with found stones. Curators Razian (Jameel Arts Centre) and Ahmed (Ishara Art Foundation) bring extensive Gulf region experience, shaping the biennale into a platform for empathetic dialogue.

Against global political tensions, this multi-month event invites rhythmic contemplation of shared human journeys—from Arabian nomadic traditions to modern migrations—affirming art’s capacity to document transformation while fostering continuity.

In a significant development for India’s film industry, acclaimed director Neeraj Pandey has formally withdrawn the title and all promotional materials for his upcoming Bollywood project following a Supreme Court directive. The film, originally titled ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ and starring renowned actor Manoj Bajpayee, faced substantial public backlash and judicial scrutiny for its perceived denigration of a specific community.

During proceedings on Thursday, February 19, 2026, Pandey submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court confirming the title change and removal of existing trailers. While a new title remains undetermined, the filmmaker committed that it would bear no resemblance to the controversial original name.

The judicial bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan acknowledged Pandey’s “positive response” and disposed of the matter, expressing expectation that this decision would bring closure to the controversy. The court additionally appealed to digital content creators and YouTubers to cease further discussion on the contentious issue.

This case emerged from the Supreme Court’s February 12 hearing where Justice Nagarathna delivered pointed remarks regarding constitutional limitations on free speech. “Why should you denigrate anybody? It’s against morality and public order,” she asserted, emphasizing that filmmakers and journalists must operate within reasonable restrictions outlined in Article 19(2) of the Indian Constitution.

Legal representative Vinod Kumar Tiwari clarified that the bench’s observations underscored that while freedom of expression is protected under Article 19(1), it remains subject to restrictions preventing defamation of social groups. The court mandated comprehensive revisions to both the film’s title and narrative elements deemed offensive.

The project, initially announced during Netflix India’s 2026 slate unveiling, represents a collaboration between Pandey and Bajpayee, both respected figures in Indian cinema. This development highlights the ongoing tension between creative expression and social responsibility in India’s entertainment landscape.

Acclaimed filmmaker Chloé Zhao, fresh from her Golden Globe-winning success with ‘Hamnet,’ is reportedly being considered to direct the ninth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. This potential collaboration with Tom Cruise would mark a significant departure for both the Oscar-winning director and the long-running action series.

Industry speculation intensified when celebrity news outlet Deuxmoi reported that Cruise had approached Zhao about either writing or directing the next chapter. While neither party has confirmed the discussions, the move would represent a strategic shift for the franchise following the perceived conclusion with last year’s ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.’

Zhao’s directorial journey demonstrates remarkable versatility. After winning the Academy Award for Best Director for ‘Nomadland’ in 2020—becoming only the second woman to achieve this honor—she ventured into blockbuster territory with Marvel’s ‘Eternals’ in 2021. This experience in large-scale production could prove valuable should she take on the Mission: Impossible series, known for its elaborate stunts and high-octane action sequences.

The franchise has been under the consistent direction of Christopher McQuarrie since 2015, making Zhao’s potential involvement particularly noteworthy. Financial considerations may be influencing this possible change: despite grossing approximately $600 million globally, ‘The Final Reckoning’ faced substantial production and marketing costs nearing $400 million, potentially prompting producers to seek fresh creative direction with budget consciousness.

Tom Cruise remained characteristically enigmatic about the franchise’s future when questioned at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, preferring to focus on the current release rather than speculate about subsequent installments. As the industry watches for official confirmation, Zhao’s potential involvement signals an intriguing convergence of arthouse sensibility and mainstream action cinema.

In an unprecedented shift for the global music industry, K-Pop artists have dominated the 2025 international charts according to newly released data from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). BLACKPINK’s Rosé, in collaboration with Bruno Mars, achieved the year’s most-streamed single with “APT,” amassing over two billion streams worldwide.

This milestone represents the first time a predominantly non-English language track has claimed the top position in the IFPI’s annual global chart since its inception in 2007. Although primarily performed in English, “APT” incorporates Korean elements, opening with spoken dialogue that translates to “Chaeyoung’s favourite random game. Random game. Game start,” and featuring a chorus repeating the word “아파트” (apateu), meaning “apartment.”

The achievement marks another historic first as Rosé becomes the first artist from outside North America or Europe to top the global chart. IFPI CEO Victoria Oakley described the moment as “landmark” for the industry.

Following closely in second place was “Golden” by Huntr/X, the animated girl group from Netflix’s popular series “KPop Demon Hunters.” The virtual ensemble is voiced by real-life artists Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna, and Ejae.

American singer Alex Warren secured third place with “Ordinary,” while the Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga collaboration “Die With A Smile” took fourth position. Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” completed the top five, despite having topped the charts the previous year.

The chart demonstrated remarkable staying power for older releases, with eight of the top ten singles having been released prior to 2025. For the second consecutive year, no British artists appeared in the top ten, though Lola Young reached eleventh place with her breakthrough single “Messy,” achieving over one billion streams.

The continued influence of K-Pop was further evidenced by another “KPop Demon Hunters” entry—”Soda Pop” by rival boyband Saja Boys—appearing in the top twenty.

Earlier industry reports confirmed Taylor Swift as 2025’s overall top global artist, though she appears only once in the singles chart at nineteenth position with “The Fate of Ophelia” from her album “The Life of a Showgirl.” The IFPI will release its annual album chart rankings later this week.

The Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) is confronting significant backlash from the global film community following an open letter signed by over 80 prominent filmmakers. The signatories, including Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Mike Leigh, Adam McKay, and Avi Mograbi, have sharply criticized the festival’s perceived stance on Gaza, accusing its leadership of engaging in censorship and attempts to silence discourse on the issue.

The letter references incidents from the previous year, alleging that filmmakers who expressed solidarity with Palestinians from the festival stage were ‘aggressively reprimanded’ by senior programmers. One individual was reportedly subjected to a police investigation, with festival leadership falsely labeling a speech grounded in ‘international law and solidarity’ as discriminatory.

This wave of criticism was largely catalyzed by comments from this year’s jury president, acclaimed German director Wim Wenders. Despite his roots in the politically charged New German Cinema movement, Wenders stated at a press conference that filmmakers must ‘stay out of politics,’ describing cinema as a ‘counterweight’ and the ‘opposite of politics.’ These remarks were met with accusations of hypocrisy, given his 2024 praise for the Berlinale’s tradition of being ‘the most political of the major festivals.’

The controversy deepened with the reaction of other jury members. When questioned on Germany’s support for Israel, Polish producer Ewa Puszczyńska dismissed the query as ‘unfair,’ arguing that other genocides are not discussed. This climate prompted award-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy to withdraw her participation from the festival, raising further concerns about the event’s funding ties to the German government.

Parallel to the main festival, the Cinema for Peace gala became another stage for protest. Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania rejected a ‘most valuable film’ prize for her work, ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab,’ which chronicles the killing of a young Palestinian girl. In a powerful address attended by figures like Hillary Clinton and Bob Geldof, Ben Hania condemned the decision to honor a former Israeli general, stating that ‘peace is not a perfume sprayed over violence’ and that ‘cinema is not image-laundering.’

This is not the first time the 2024 Berlinale has been mired in controversy; it previously faced outcry over an invitation to a far-right political party and was accused of antisemitism by German officials after comments by Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham. His documentary, ‘No Other Land,’ co-directed with Palestinian Basel Adra, highlights discriminatory legal systems in the West Bank and later won an Oscar, amidst further controversy involving German Culture Minister Claudia Roth.

The unfolding situation presents a profound challenge to one of the world’s preeminent film festivals, pitting artistic freedom and political expression against accusations of bias and censorship, all against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.