DUBAI: Arab Fashion Week (AFW) is the latest major fashion event to go virtual as nations worldwide try to curb the spread of COVID-19 through lockdowns. Arab Fashion Council announced Thursday that AFW will take place online from June 24 to 26.
“We are thrilled to be able to revolutionize the traditional calendar by adapting a new digital experience that best fits the global financial and digital trend,” CEO of Arab Fashion Council Jacob Abrian said in a released statement. “We consider this move as a victorious step to shape the future of the fashion system into a more consumer-conscious platform and sustainable culture.”
AFW follows the lead of the fashion weeks in London and Milan, which announced that they will also take place online due to coronavirus restrictions. Key fashion events such as the Met Gala and the final for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers have been cancelled.
‘La Haine’: 30 years after release, film’s depiction of urban Parisian struggle still starkly relevant
Updated 3 sec ago
La Haine (1995)
Manal Al-Barakati
Mathieu Kassovitz’s “La Haine” is a gripping and raw exploration of social alienation, systemic inequality and the simmering tensions within the marginalized suburbs of Paris. Released in 1995, the film remains a starkly relevant examination of urban discontent and a powerful critique of the societal structures that perpetuate cycles of violence and despair.
Set over 24 hours in the lives of three young men — Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Said (Said Taghmaoui) and Hubert (Hubert Kounde) — the film captures the aftermath of a violent riot sparked by police brutality. As they navigate the streets of their impoverished banlieue, their stories intertwine to reveal the frustrations, dreams and anger that define their existence. Through their perspectives, Kassovitz crafts an intimate yet universal portrait of disenfranchised youth and the volatile relationship between marginalized communities and authority.
Shot in stark black-and-white, the cinematography underscores the bleakness of the trio’s environment while lending the film a timeless quality. The visual aesthetic, coupled with Kassovitz’s tight direction, creates a visceral sense of tension that permeates every scene. The use of long takes and dynamic camerawork immerses viewers in the characters’ world, capturing both its oppressive monotony and moments of unexpected beauty.
What makes “La Haine” so impactful is its ability to balance social commentary with deeply human storytelling. Each of the three protagonists represents a different response to their shared reality: Vinz is angry and impulsive, seeking vengeance; Hubert is introspective, yearning to escape through boxing; and Said, the joker, tries to diffuse the tension with humor. Together, they form a complex and relatable dynamic, reflecting the diverse ways people cope with systemic oppression.
The film does not offer easy solutions or didactic moralizing; instead, it forces viewers to confront uncomfortable truths. Kassovitz examines the cyclical nature of violence and its roots in economic disparity, racism and institutional neglect. The tension between the characters’ personal agency and the societal forces that constrain them creates a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is emotionally resonant.
Nearly three decades after its release, “La Haine” remains a cinematic landmark.
Inside ‘States of Light,’ Princess Reem Al Faisal’s photography exhibition
The acclaimed photographer discusses her black-and-white imagery and her upcoming shift to color
Updated 16 January 2025
Afshan Aziz
RIYADH: Over the past two months, a collection of black-and-white photographs taken by Princess Reem Mohammed Al-Faisal, granddaughter of the late King Faisal, has been on display at Riyadh’s L’Art Pur Foundation.
“States of Light,” according to a press release “explores the intersection of existence, reality and the Divine.” Through her lens, Princess Reem masterfully captures the interplay between light and shadow, transforming simple moments into meditative and poetic reflections on life, spirituality, and human connection. The exhibition, curated by Christiane Ashkar and Mohammed Al Shammaery, runs until Jan. 30.
A collection of black-and-white photographs taken by Princess Reem Mohammed Al-Faisal, granddaughter of the late King Faisal, has been on display at Riyadh’s L’Art Pur Foundation. (Supplied)
The show invites visitors on an evocative journey beginning in Jeddah at the Islamic Port — Saudi Arabia’s maritime gateway to its sacred sites — and moving through Makkah and Madinah to key locations such as Mina, Mount Arafat, Muzdalifah, the Jamarat, and the Grand Mosque. These photographs not only capture the physical spaces but also convey the atmosphere at these holy sites, allowing viewers to reflect on the sacred in the everyday.
Art critic Laetitia Guillemin describes Princess Reem’s imagery like this: “A muffled sound, an outspoken whisper: in each image, half-lights tell a story, carrying away the voices of inner silence.”
Princess Reem Al-Faisal at the opening of ‘States of Light.’ (Supplied)
Guillemin highlights the way Princess Reem uses light to evoke emotions and inner thoughts, revealing moments of stillness and contemplation through the simplicity of black-and-white photography. In her work, the half-light is not just a technical feature but a symbolic element that invites the viewer into a deeper space of meditation.
“In our modern culture, we have been trained to focus upon the physical, although we see through our mind, will, and emotion. There is a spiritual dimension that is expressed through beauty and creativity. This is what I try to achieve for myself through my work,” Princess Reem has previously said. Her photography is not just about capturing an image, but about translating the unseen. “Art without spirituality is not art; it is decoration,” Princess Reem says. “The essence of life, of the human being, is spiritual.
She describes Arabic poetry and “the rich imagery it contains” as her greatest inspiration. “Photography is a modern form of poetry, and I use it to condense complex philosophical ideas into a single image,” she says.
“States of Light” features images from her international travels — including China, Egypt, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Syria, and the United States. (Supplied)
“States of Light” features images from her international travels — including China, Egypt, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Syria, and the United States — but it is in her depiction of the pilgrimage sites in Makkah and Madinah where the depth of her spiritual engagement is most evident. Her photographs convey not just the architectural grandeur of these locations but their profound spirituality. Through the careful manipulation of light, Princess Reem captures meditative moments of prayer and contemplation, where time seems to stand still.
Princess Reem’s exhibition is not just a collection of photographs; it is a meditation on the eternal, a dialogue between the material and the spiritual, and a reflection of her deep-rooted connection to her cultural and spiritual heritage. As her photographs explore the divine in the everyday, they invite viewers to contemplate their own relationship with the eternal and the unseen. The absence of color invites the viewer to focus on the essence of the scene, devoid of distractions. “Black-and-white is metaphysical. It gives you the metaphysical side of art,” says Princess Reem. “People can get distracted by color and forget about the image itself, but a black-and-white photograph forces people to focus.”
And in an era dominated by digital photography, Princess Reem remains committed to using traditional film. “99 percent of my work is on film,” she says. “The depth, the rendition of the shades, the textures… all of this is far more superior in film.”
Despite her passion for black-and-white imagery, Princess Reem says she is currently working on a new series of color images.
“I’ve been going around photographing Saudi Arabia in color. It will be my new focus. Currently, it’s just Saudi Arabia, but maybe other countries in the future. What I find fascinating is that color photography changes my perspective,” she says. “In black and white, my focus was on shades, shadows, and light. But (now), the color itself becomes the subject. It’s fascinating, and it’s beautiful. This shift has completely changed my approach to photography.”
Whether photographing in black and white or in color, however, Princess Reem stresses that, first and foremost, her focus is on creating work that expresses something meaningful, not on creating something that will sell. A true artist, she emphasizes, should not be motivated by money, but by a deeper calling.
“If my work doesn’t cost $10,000 a piece, then (people say) my work has no value,” she says. “But the concept that art is (just) a career is totally wrong.”
REVIEW: ‘American Primeval’ charts the truly Wild West
Netflix thriller is as relentless as it is unflinching
Updated 16 January 2025
Matt Ross
LONDON: When director Peter Berg had an idea for a project based on the Mountain Meadows Massacre — a series of attacks during the US’s 19th-century Utah War — he reached out to “The Revenant” writer Mark L. Smith to flesh out the show. As luck would have it, Smith was already working on an idea set during the same period following real-life pioneer Jim Bridger, a character he’d explored as a much younger man in that film. The result is Netflix’s “American Primeval,” set in the untamed world that predates the Wild West as audiences have come to know it. This is a brutal, savage place in which US army forces battle Mormon militias, and native tribes try to eke out a peaceful existence amid the chaos.
Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin) and her son Devin (Preston Mota) arrive at Fort Bridger, in search of a guide to escort them through the perilous country. Bridger (Shea Whigham) introduces them to Isaac Reed (Taylor Kitsch), a bereaved hunter and trapper who eventually agrees to go with them. The trio, later joined by runaway Shoshone Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), set out on the dangerous trek, dodging armies, evading bounty hunters, and navigating settlers with their own (often unsavory) plans.
At the same time, Mormon settler Jacob Pratt (Dane DeHaan) searches for his kidnapped wife Abish (Saura Lightfoot-Leon), while Mormon leader Brigham Young (Kim Coates) sets his eyes on Fort Bridger as a means to defend his followers from what he assumes to be an imminent attack by US Army forces.
Every minute of the six episodes feels relentless. There’s little room for quieter character development — Isaac’s backstory is glossed over, Abish’s relationship with her captors doesn’t get the airtime it deserves, and Jacob’s realizations about the behavior of his Mormon brothers feels rushed.
What Berg does cram in is certainly spectacular — “American Primeval” is brutal, bloody and gorgeous in equal measure — and the sense of constant peril is effective and exhausting. Kitsch and Gilpin are great, too, but there’s a sense that, with a little more time, Isaac and Sara’s relationship could be an even more interesting counterpoint to the savagery around them. This is a breathless series. With a beat or two more to breathe, it could have been truly epic.
Netflix drops trailer for Nadine Labaki-starring ‘Sand Castle’
Updated 15 January 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Netflix has just dropped the trailer for “The Sand Castle,” a highly anticipated mystery thriller starring Lebanese multi-hyphenate Nadine Labaki, set to drop on the streaming platform on Jan. 24.
US Emmy-nominated director Matty Brown — whose shorts have won accolades — makes his feature film debut with “The Sand Castle.”
The film, which premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December 2024, revolves around a family of four stranded on an island. The mother of the family, Yasmine, played by Labaki, is on the lookout for signs of a boat so that the family can escape the island. The father, Nabil, portrayed by Palestinian actor Ziad Bakri (“Meet the Barbarians”), tries to radio for help. The couple’s two children, Adam and Jana, are depicted by Labaki-directed “Capernaum” stars Zain and Riman Al-Rafeea.
“As events spiral out of control and the line between reality and fiction blurs, the family is forced to confront harsh truths and difficult choices, testing their resilience and their hopes of making it back home,” reads the official synopsis.
Brown co-wrote “Sand Castle” with Jordan’s Yassmina Karajah and Egyptian-Qatari writer-director Hend Fakhroo.
Meanwhile, Labaki had a busy 2024, serving as a jury member at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, alongside jury president Greta Gerwig.
Labaki, recipient of the Jury Prize at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival for “Capernaum,” shares a long history with the festival.
She began her relationship with Cannes in 2004, writing and developing her first feature, “Caramel,” at the Cinefoundation Residency before showcasing the film at the Director’s Fortnight in 2007. Both of Labaki’s subsequent films — “Where do We Go Now?” in 2011 and “Capernaum” in 2018 — debuted at the festival, each in increasingly competitive categories.
“I feel like I’m their baby, in a way. With a baby, you start watching their first steps, see them grow, protect them, push them … They’ve accompanied me in this journey and recognized and encouraged me. It’s great — I really love this festival. I think it’s the best festival in the world,” Labaki told Arab News in an earlier interview on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival in 2019.
REVIEW: ‘Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’ puts you in the dusty boots of the famous archeologist
Updated 15 January 2025
James Denselow
LONDON: “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” is a bold attempt at blending classic adventure tropes with modern gaming sensibilities, although its bland title hardly does justice to the grand scope of its ambition.
This globe-trotting 1930s adventure is steeped in intrigue, setting players on a path to uncover a secret order of giants hidden beneath the Vatican, with the ever-looming menace of Nazi antagonists turning the stakes even higher.
Fans of the “Tomb Raider” series will find themselves on familiar terrain here, although the game also sprinkles in elements reminiscent of “Metal Gear Solid.” However, instead of espionage-heavy stealth, “The Great Circle” leans into satisfying puzzles and visceral hand-to-hand combat. The result is a game that feels rooted in the past — both in its narrative themes and its retro gameplay touches.
The game’s combat is refreshingly physical, emphasizing fistfights over gunplay. The punches land with gratifying impact, accompanied by retro sound effects that evoke arcade classics. It’s an unusual focus in a genre often dominated by firearms, and it works surprisingly well — although the simplicity of enemy AI detracts from the experience. Combat can sometimes feel clunky, with enemies behaving erratically, and often hilariously, as doors inexplicably lock or bodies pile up in awkward positions.
Puzzles are another highlight, designed to strike a balance between challenge and accessibility. They won’t leave players stumped for hours but provide enough complexity to feel rewarding. The puzzles’ old-fashioned mechanics, like physically turning keys or deciphering simple codes, give a nostalgic charm that ties into the game’s 1930s setting.
An upgrade tree powered by collectible “adventure points” adds a sense of progression, allowing players to enhance abilities as they go. The system is straightforward but effective, offering enough variety to make exploration worthwhile without overwhelming casual players.
“The Great Circle” thrives on its pulp-inspired storytelling. The global backdrop feels suitably grand, with locales such as nighttime Rome brought to life in stunning detail. The plot blends historical mysteries with fantastical elements, and while it may tread familiar ground for seasoned fans of the genre, the banter and dialogue keep things fresh as Indy looks to thwart the Nazis’ evil plans.
The protagonist channels Indiana Jones-style sass with ease, while a determined and witty female companion ensures the dynamic never grows stale. The interplay between the two characters is sharp and effective, adding much-needed levity to a story that could otherwise veer into melodrama.
However, the game’s identikit fascist enemies lack nuance, serving as little more than cannon fodder. For a story with such an ambitious concept, it’s disappointing that the antagonists don’t feel more distinctive.
Where “The Great Circle” truly shines is in its environments. From the cobbled streets of Rome to the Pyramids of Giza, the attention to detail is remarkable. The game also makes clever use of its camera, offering subtle hints during exploration and rewarding players with fascinating historical tidbits.
The Great Circle is a film fan’s dream, packed with nods to adventure classics and brimming with nostalgic charm. For newcomers to the genre, it may feel less engaging due to its dated mechanics and occasional lack of polish. Still, it’s a satisfying romp for those willing to embrace its retro roots and cinematic flair.
