We kick off this edition of arts24 with a look at the world's oldest moving images, courtesy of France's Lumière Brothers, in Thierry Frémaux's documentary "Lumière! The Adventure Continues". Next, get ready for the musical adaptation of the Oscar-winning classic "Midnight Cowboy", which is hitting London's Southwark theatre soon. Plus, discover Alain Chabat's new 3D animated Asterix series and a stylish Snoopy exhibition in Paris marking the Peanuts gang's 75th anniversary.

On this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with the torchbearer for French soul: Ben l'Oncle Soul. His songs "Soulman" and "Elle me dit" have become instant classics, bridging eras and emotions through his smooth vocals. Ben is back with his eighth album "Sad Generation", an homage to some of the music he grew up listening to, such as Sly Stone and Otis Redding.

FRANCE 24’s TV critic Dheepthika Laurent joins us from Lille, where the Séries Mania festival is kicking off with two hotly anticipated French shows. The sumptuous dishes of a 19th-century celebrity chef are the jumping-off point for "Carême", and we check out the fifth season of "HPI", which sees Audrey Fleurot embody an exceptionally intelligent part-time sleuth. We also find out more about Amanda Seyfried's latest show "Long Bright River", which the award-winning actress is presenting at the festival, while Christina Hendricks' latest project takes the "Mad Men" star to rural Ireland. Plus, as "Adolescence" sparks debate in the UK, we discuss its shocking subject matter and innovative style, and we also get a glimpse of comic Hollywood caper "The Studio".

Join us as we explore the heated discussions around the newest "Assassin's Creed" video game, praised for its beauty but sparking debates over character choices and historical accuracy. Plus, discover the incredible rescue of 18th-century French masterpieces from Los Angeles wildfires, now on display near Paris. Finally, don't miss the groundbreaking exhibition at the Pompidou Centre honouring Black artists, before the museum closes for a five-year renovation.

A new live action remake of "Snow White" stars Gal Gadot and Rachel Ziegler; film critic Emma Jones tells us why revisiting the 1937 animated classic has stirred up controversy for Disney and resulted in a quieter premiere than usual. We also discuss poignant French comedy "The Safe House", starring Michel Blanc in one of his final roles before his death in 2024. Plus we hear why Italian snow-swept drama "Vermiglio" impressed the jury at the Venice Film Festival, and a young woman in southern Tunisia takes her fate in hand in Mehdi M. Barsaoui's "Aïcha".

His recent documentary, "From Ground Zero", is a cinematic mosaic of life in Gaza since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023 sparked all-out war in the region. Rashid Masharawi joins us to talk about the work of documenting the struggles and tragedies of the Palestinian people, as well as the moments of joy and hope. Rashid’s new film, "Passing Dreams", explores family ties and the quest for freedom, in a landscape where geopolitical tensions affect every aspect of day-to-day life. We also discuss cinema’s great potential and his hope that Palestinian filmmakers can one day make features without campaigning for a cause. 

On today’s music show on Arts24, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with a pioneering superstar of classical soul. Alexis Ffrench has over 1 billion streams and multiple number 1 albums. The British pianist and composer even performed at King Charles III’s coronation celebrations in 2023. He’s known for redefining the boundaries of classical music, such as on his most recent album “Classical Soul Vol. 1”. On this record, he revisits his childhood influences like Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke and the late Roberta Flack. He’s set to release “Classical Soul Vol. 1 – The Solo Piano Collection” and is continuing his tour around Europe.

Journalist and filmmaker Shiori Ito has laid her life bare in “Black Box Diaries”, as the film documents her battle for justice after she accused a prominent TV executive of raping her in 2015. Following its nomination for an Academy Award, the film has come to worldwide attention; the culture of silence in Japan surrounding sexual assault has been under scrutiny. Shiori joins us to talk about being the first Japanese director to be nominated for best documentary at the Oscars and about how her persistent campaigning has resulted in the legal definition of rape being revised in her home country. We discuss why Japan has not yet had its MeToo moment and why telling complex stories on screen has been a career-defining experience for her. 

She was an icon of 1990’s television; now Pamela Anderson is embarking on a new phase in her career, as she stars in "The Last Showgirl". Film critic Emma Jones sat down with her at the Zurich film festival where they discussed her critically-acclaimed performance as a Las Vegas cabaret performer and how facing her fears is opening up new professional opportunities for the actress. And, we meet London-based artist Lakwena Maciver, whose artwork blends vibrant colours and bold statements. Finally, the Pompidou Centre mothballs its permanent collection before undergoing extensive renovations to the building.

Critic Perrine Quennesson takes us through the latest releases in the world of French cinema, with two family stories that transport us to convincing versions of France in the 1960s and 1990s. “My Mother, God, And Sylvie Vartan” tells the story of a devoted mother, played by Leïla Bekhti, who is prepared to move mountains for her son. Meanwhile “Queen Mom” charts an immigrant family’s experience as they come up against stereotypes about North Africans and attempt to overcome the obstacles planted in their path; the film also offers a comical and fantastical take on one of the bogeymen of French history classes. A volcano on the brink of eruption in Guadeloupe distils social and political tensions in “Magma” and we discuss Thierry Frémaux’s love letter to the Lumière brothers, as he documents the birth of cinema and its modern conventions.