arts24

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with musical polymath Jowee BasH! Omicil. The Haitian-Canadian artist blends jazz with Creole traditions, gospel, hip-hop and voodoo rhythms. He's worked with the likes of André 3000, Tony Allen and Ibrahim Maalouf. He's just released his 11th album "sMiLes", a manifesto celebrating personal expression and the courage to take risks. 

When the Clooney family were granted French citizenship, the news made headlines around the world. The US president weighed in on their choice, sparking a war of words; we learn more about the transatlantic row pitting Hollywood against la vie en France. Also, a new film about the British featherweight who became a giant of boxing brings "Prince" Naseem Hamed's life and career to the big screen. Plus we take a closer look at the frozen landscape that helped Claude Monet refine his painting technique during a very cold snap. 

British-Hungarian author David Szalay joins Eve Jackson on arts24 to discuss his controversial Booker Prize-winning novel "Flesh", which follows István – a silent, violent and unsettling protagonist – from a bleak Hungarian housing estate to London's super-rich elite. Szalay reveals why he called his book "risky," how he made readers care about someone who says "OK" 400 times and what happens when Stormzy and Dua Lipa champion your work.

We take a look at the French films kicking off 2026, as Manon Kerjean tells us about 'Furcy', the true story of a slave living on Reunion Island in the early 19th century who discovers that he was, in fact, born free. We also discuss the moving family drama "The Wonderers" and hear from début director Joséphine Japy about bringing her personal experience to the film.

His photography captures faces, figures and fleeting moments, and gives us the bigger picture when it comes to the social, cultural and political landscape. Franco-British photographer Ed Alcock is the winner of the Prix Niépce Gens d'Images, France's oldest photography award, and he joins us to discuss the imagery that caught the jury's attention. From family mysteries to the Brexit vote in 2016, Alcock takes a socio-realist approach to making photographs; the artist tells us why his documentary series are often prompted by deeply personal questions.

French rap metal band Rise of the Northstar formed in 2008, but have been making a name for themselves over the last few years touring Europe and the Americas and collaborating with other hotly tipped French metalheads Landmvrks. They recently released their fourth album "Chapter 04: Red Falcon Super Battle! Neo Paris War!!" and sold out Paris's Olympia. Guitarist Eva B and drummer Phantom popped by the FRANCE 24 studios to chat to Marjorie Hache. Together they also check out new releases by London's Dry Cleaning, Mongolia's Uuhai and Manchester's The Cribs. 

Like it or not, AI is here to stay. Time magazine named the "architects of AI" as 2025's person of the year. In this edition, we focus on artificial intelligence and entertainment. A UK AI-focused studio recently released "Non Player Combat", which it calls the world's first AI-generated reality TV show. Dheepthika Laurent talks to Tom Paton, CEO of the studio and in a first, we interview Clara, the AI host of the show!

FRANCE 24's Charli James previews the new exhibit "All About Love" at the Grand Palais in Paris, which is celebrating the superstar American artist Mickalene Thomas. It spans 20 years of her striking, multi-disciplinary work that rewrites the role of Black women in art history. Plus, a special Christmas show at the Palace of Versailles imagines how the holidays looked inside the court of King Louis XIV.

Emma Jones takes us through the third installment of James Cameron's epic project, as "Avatar: Fire and Ash" takes us back to the spectacular setting of Pandora. We discuss the message at the heart of the movies and the new additions to its cast. Next, director Kleber Mendonça Filho plunges us into 1970s Brazil thanks to a swinging soundtrack and anamorphic Panavision lenses, as Wagner Moura gives an award-winning performance in "The Secret Agent". We also check out a moving tribute to Neil Diamond and small-time musicians the world over in "Song Sung Blue", starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. Plus Kate Winslet goes behind the camera for her star-studded directorial début, "Goodbye June".

FRANCE 24's Dheepthika Laurent tells us about Emily's adventures in Rome, as the heroine of "Emily in Paris" embarks on a fifth season in neighbouring Italy. We debate whether the show has run out of steam and discuss romantic lead Lucas Bravo, who plays Gabriel, as he stars in new French series "Les Saisons". Also, post-apocalyptic drama "Fallout" returns for a second series, with Walton Goggins as a ghoulish cowboy and Ella Purnell searching for her father in this re-make of the nuclear war-inspired video game. Plus we find out more about the new K-drama "Made in Korea", starring TV heavyweights Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung.