culture

Six Days of Kieślowski’s Insightful Vision at Metropolis Cinema Beirut

The Metropolis Cinema Association and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Lebanon are currently hosting “Colours of Life,” a retrospective dedicated to the deeply human and emotionally rich films of one of Poland’s most revered filmmakers, Krzysztof Kieślowski. Running from June 10 to 15, 2025 at Metropolis Cinema in Mar Mikhaël, the ...

Five Things to Know About the K-Pop Juggernaut

All the members of South Korea's most lucrative boyband BTS are set to finish their military service this month, paving the way for the K-pop super-group to release new music. The news has prompted a fan frenzy, with speculation rife about forthcoming releases and even tours. AFP takes a look at what is going on: Who Are they? The ...

'Despair': a Forgotten Rodin Sculpture on Piano Sells for One Million

The owners thought the sculpture perched for years on the corner of a piano was a Rodin copy, but after being declared as the real thing, the small marble figure has now sold for one million dollars at auction, organizers said Monday. Described as an "extremely rare" find by auction organizer Aymeric Rouillac, the figure was in fact an 1892 work, ...

French Schools to Screen Netflix’s "Adolescence" in Fight Against Online Violence

British Netflix drama Adolescence - which has sparked widespread debate about the toxic and misogynistic influences to which young boys are exposed online, can now be shown in French secondary schools - a minister has said. The initiative follows a precedent set in the UK. The producer of the series broadcast on Netflix has "opened up the rights ...

Hitchcock’s Heroine Honored: Kim Novak Receives Lifetime Award in Venice

Hollywood actress Kim Novak, 92, best known for portraying the double life of Alfred Hitchcock's heroine in Vertigo, has been awarded Venice's lifetime achievement award, the film festival said on Monday. Despite a short-lived career, Novak became "a living legend, earning her rightful place in history, with the respect and esteem of the film ...

'Maybe Happy Ending' Tops 2025 Tony Awards with Six Wins

Maybe Happy Ending, a South Korean musical adapted for Broadway about two robots who find connection, won big at Sunday’s Tony Awards, scooping up six prizes at the gala celebrating the best in American theater. Stars of the season Cole Escola and Nicole Scherzinger also won their first Tonys, on a night that celebrated Broadway’s revival ...

A Dream Come True: Barcelona’s Miró Foundation Turns 50

A major cultural institution, the Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a rich lineup of exhibitions, concerts, and special events paying tribute to the prolific Catalan artist. The festivities, taking place throughout the year under the slogan “For the People of Tomorrow,” begin Thursday with the opening ...

Eternal Jane B, Everlasting Birkin: The Story of an Icon at Auction

Created in 1984 by Hermès specifically for Jane Birkin, the very first Birkin bag will go up for auction in Paris on July 10 at Sotheby’s. This one-of-a-kind piece, crafted from black leather and engraved with the initials J.B., includes original features like a fixed shoulder strap, closed metal rings and even a built-in nail file. Born from a ...

'Bouquet Final': Vanessa Paradis’ Enchanting Voice Returns with Tender Melancholy

Vanessa Paradis dropped Bouquet final this Friday, June 6 — a song co-written by Étienne Daho and featured on a new album rooted in a pop/soul universe, expected this fall. For this project, she collaborated with her two children from her relationship with Johnny Depp: Lily-Rose and Jack Depp. Bouquet final was composed by Jean-Louis Piérot ...

From Birmingham to the World: Black Sabbath’s Last Gig Streams Live

Ozzy Osbourne's final ever gig as Black Sabbath's frontman will be streamed worldwide after fans snapped up tickets for the hometown show, starring the original line-up, in just 16 minutes, the band said Friday. Osbourne, who revealed in 2020 that he has Parkinson's disease, will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the all-day "Back ...

Ancient Oualata Battles Time, Sand, Rain and Exodus

From his roof, Sidi Mohamed Lemine Sidiya scans the mediaeval town of Oualata, a treasure that is disappearing under the sands of the Mauritanian desert. "It's a magnificent, extraordinary town," said Sidiya, who is battling to preserve the place known as the "Shore of Eternity". Oualata is one of a UNESCO-listed quartet of ancient, fortified ...