Festival

15 Dead in India Stampede at Hindu Mega-Festival

A pre-dawn stampede at the world's largest religious gathering killed at least 15 people in India Wednesday, with many more injured after a surging crowd spilled out of a police cordon and trampled bystanders. Deadly crowd incidents are frequent occurrence at Indian religious festivals, including the Kumbh Mela, which attracts tens of millions of ...

Beirut Art Film Festival Keeping Lebanon Cinematically 'United in Heritage'

The Beirut Art Film Festival (BAFF) unveils its United in Heritage initiative, a six-month cultural program designed to unite Lebanese citizens around their shared heritage. The program features monthly screenings in 12 cities, simultaneously bringing communities together to rediscover Lebanon’s cultural treasures. Following each screening, a ...

Al-Bustan Festival: A New Dawn Driven by ‘Art that Saves Humanity’

A contagious smile, tinged with pride, stretches across the lips of Laura Lahoud. Her enthusiasm is palpable, and she has no trouble showing it. As Vice President of the al-Bustan Festival, she warmly greets everyone who comes to offer their congratulations – and sometimes even their gratitude – after the press conference on January ...

When Vincent Lindon Plays with Fire

An engaged actor and a recognized pillar of French cinema, Vincent Lindon continues to leave his mark on the history of the silver screen with performances that are both intense and diverse. From the beginning of his career, he has established himself as a key figure, seamlessly combining sensitivity and depth in his roles. Winner of the Best ...

Cannes Film Festival: German Iris Knobloch Reelected as President

The Cannes Film Festival has extended Iris Knobloch’s presidency for another three-year term, organizers announced on Wednesday. After succeeding Pierre Lescure in 2022, Iris Knobloch was unanimously reelected for a new term that will run until June 30, 2028, according to a statement from the French Association of the International Film ...

Art and Culture Flourish in Uruguay’s Hidden Gem, Garzón

The chapel of Pueblo Garzón, a tiny village in Uruguay with just 200 inhabitants, has traded its traditional wooden pews for a sound installation by German artist Lukas Kühne, made of rubber hammers and crates. This transformation is no anomaly—every December since 2017, the village comes alive for Campo, an art festival founded by American ...

Female Circus Artists Take Center Stage at the Biennale

A major event in contemporary circus arts, the Biennale internationale des arts du Cirque (BIAC) will open on January 9 across Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, focusing on female-led creations. This year’s edition achieves a milestone, with half of its 66 performances either created or directed by women in an art form historically dominated by ...

Nigeria’s Iconic Calabar Carnival Dazzles with Culture Showcase

Revellers dressed in glitzy, colorful costumes danced down the streets of Calabar, southern Nigeria, this weekend as giant speakers blasted Afrobeats for one of West Africa's most renowned carnivals. Every December, the celebration draws nearly two million partygoers to the capital of Cross River state, organizers said. Calabar Carnival, known ...

Théo Fouchenneret: The Soul of the Piano

On Sunday, December 22, nature wept over Beirut. On the way to Saint-Elie Church in Kantari, our thoughts wandered through the ruins of the capital, those gaping wounds that will bleed and ooze the horrors of war for years to come. Alas. That evening, a fine rain caressed these scars, soft and soothing, like saving kisses from angels during this ...

Tilda Swinton to Receive Honorary Golden Bear at Berlinale

The Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) will honor Scottish actress Tilda Swinton with the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement at its 2025 edition, organizers announced Friday. The award recognizes the actress’ extraordinary versatility and her immense influence on modern cinema. Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle praised ...

Red Sea International Film Festival 2024: Closing Ceremony and Awards

The fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival’s grand finale featured the awards ceremony and a gala screening of Johnny Depp’s directorial Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness, a captivating Red Sea Film Financing project. Celebrating global icons and the spirit of cinema Viola Davis and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, both ...

Jeddah Hosts Vibrant Fourth Red Sea Film Festival Edition

The fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) opened on December 5, 2024, in the heart of Jeddah's UNESCO-listed Al-Balad district. Running until December 14, the festival features the Kingdom's growing presence in the global film industry while praising the variety of international cinema. Built around The New Home of Film ...