In an Indian festival landscape that is increasingly choosing to cater to fans of a particular genre, be it Hindustani or Carnatic classical, jazz or rock, folk or blues, Sufi or electronic dance music, Jodhpur RIFF stands out for being genre-agnostic. The sheer variety of talent on display from its home base in Rajasthan, and … Read more
As the Spring Festival approaches, foreigners have become noticeably more visible across many parts of China. This year’s Spring Festival bookings are close to full, led by travelers from Vietnam and Singapore. Visitors from Europe, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand are also showing up in large numbers. From Lunar New Year’s Eve through the … Read more
Kid Rock’s ‘Rock the Country’ music festival has canceled its July tour stop in Anderson County, South Carolina, following the departure of several high-profile performers from the lineup. Musician Kid Rock’s ‘Rock the Country’ music festival has been held in Anderson for the past two years. (Getty Images via AFP) Earlier this week, ticketholders reported … Read more
Winter Lights Festival will open Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. in the garden of the Einar Jónsson Museum, Hallgrímstorg 3. Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir, the mayor of Reykjavík, will open the festival alongside Logi Einarsson, minister of culture, innovation and higher education, who will speak about the recent merger of the Einar Jónsson Museum and the … Read more
Hossein Keshavarz and Maryam Ataei’s film, ‘The Friend’s House is Here’, premiered at the recently concluded Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category. The Iranian-American husband-wife filmmakers shot the film in Iran amid the extraordinary turbulence of 2025: the 12-day war following Israel’s strikes, nationwide demonstrations, and violent crackdowns. Their film, inspired by … Read more
Shame and Money movie review Cast: Astrit Kabashi, Flonja Kodheli, Kumrije Hoxha, Fiona Gllavica, Alban Ukaj Director: Visar Morina Star rating: ★★★★ Kosovan filmmaker Visar Morina’s Shame and Money plays out like a searing indictment of the economic disparity that has become so palpably real in the world today. This is a story about the … Read more
To Hold a Mountain review Directors: Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić Star rating: ★★★★ The Sundance Film Festival always surprises with its glorious documentary programming, and this year was no different. I mostly look forward to the non-fiction features to illuminate, shock, and humble me in some manner, and this year, one of those entries … Read more
Barbara documentary review Director: Brydie O’Connor Star rating: ★★★.5 If you are not aware of who Barbara Hammer was, you must correct that right away. This intimate new documentary, which celebrates her life and legacy, is also a great place to start. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, it is the kind of documentary I … Read more
Indian classical singer-composer Siddhant Bhatia received his official Grammy nomination medal at a reception in Los Angeles ahead of the main gala ceremony on Sunday night (Monday morning in India). Grammy nominated singer-composer Siddhant Bhatia with his medal at Los Angeles His album Sounds of Kumbha is nominated in the Best Global Music Album category … Read more
Lady film review Cast: Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemiseye, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Seun Kuti, Bucci Franklin Director: Olive Nwosu Star rating: ★★★.5 Lady, the directorial debut from Olive Nwosu, marks the arrival of a strong new voice. On the surface, it is a vibrant character study of a female taxi driver in the … Read more