Culture Bites

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal share highlights from this year's Amman International Film Festival, where a an impressive roster of documentaries and dramas from Arab filmmakers are being screened, and have already got global conversation going.

The hosts share some of the titles worth watching including My Sweet Land and Bye, Bye Tiberias. The new Palestinian production and distribution house Watermelon Pictures is led by Alana Hadid, half-sister of models Bella and Gigi Hadid, who has made an appearance at the festival.

It's an exciting week for the Arab film industry, as the Emirati-Saudi comedy Al Eid Eiden opens in cinemas. Created by an all-Emirati team of women, the movie is directed by Maitha Alawadhi, produced by Rawia Abdulla and written by Sara Al Sayegh. The hosts also discuss its significance in promoting tourism to Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, where the film was shot.

The much anticipated final leg of the Ambani wedding is finally nearing. Farah breaks down the timeline of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s celebrations, which have stretched nearly a year and a half and have included performances from Rihanna, the Backstreet Boys and, most recently, Justin Bieber.

In a new addition to the show, the hosts share their own experiences as recommendations for the week. In this episode, they suggest eateries around the UAE, inspired by the recently released 2024 Dubai Michelin Guide.

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews talk about all the moments when the Palestinian cause was front and centre at Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK, from the flags to the references from Coldplay, Damin Albarn, Charlotte Church and Arab region’s 47Soul.

Farah then covers the recent controversy in Switzerland around a 2012 artwork created by South African artist Tracey Rose, and why a “Stop the Muslim Holocaust” sentence stirred disagreements among different communities, and whether the artwork was censored by the Swiss museum Kunstmuseum Bern.

Enas then shares her thoughts on the Sudanese film that dropped on Netflix in the Middle East this week, Goodbye Julia by Mohamed Kordofani, which was presented at the Cannes Film Festival last year. She talks about how the film covers the rift that happened in the years leading to the separation of South Sudan in 2011, and how the actors have mixed feelings about it streaming now as Sudan suffers from a new civil war.

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, host Farah Andrews is back, joining Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal. Farah has a lot to say about Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, having attended an Edinburgh concert. The hosts chat about the intense energy of Swifties, which registered seismic activity recorded up to 6km away, and highlights from the night.

The hosts list of the notable theatre shows and performances scheduled in the UAE this summer, including Fleabag, Aida and Life of Pi, including when and where to see them.

Lebanese singer Elissa is the centre of the conversation as she celebrates 25 years of her career this week. The hosts discuss how she rose to fame in the 1990s, her influence in the Arab music world and how she opened up about her battle with breast cancer in a music video and a Netflix personal documentary.

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal sit down with rising Bollywood star Taha Shah Badussha to discuss his starring role in one of the biggest shows of the year – Netflix's Heermandi: The Diamond Bazaar.

Badussha’s journey has been shaped by the UAE in many ways. He was born and grew up in Abu Dhabi, then studied entrepreneurship at the American University of Sharjah, before attending the New York Film Academy in the Emirati capital.

The actor delves into why Heeramandi was an important story to tell, how he was hand-picked by the renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the role, and how he prepared to play rich nawab Tajdar Baloch.

Badussha also talks about his mother's encouragement and influence on his career, his upcoming projects and who he would like to work with in the future.

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal talk about the rise and function of opera houses in Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh and across Middle East.What significance do these cultural centres in the region hold? And how do they change the fabric of a city's cultural identity?

Enas discusses the excitement surrounding the coming release of the sequel to the animated film Inside Out, reflecting on the magical impact of the first movie on her children.

Maan then discusses his list of 10 must-watch Arab films from the 1970s and how the political, social and cultural backdrop of that era was reflected in cinema.

He focuses on the film Khaly Balak Men Zozo (Watch Out for Zozo) released in 1972, starring the beloved Egyptian actress Soad Hosny.

Should celebrities complain about having to promote their films? Do press junkets and press tours before a film's release create hype or an over-exposure of some celebrities?

And how does the cancellation of Jennifer Lopez's recent concert tour play into all of this?

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal discuss Cate Blanchett’s Jean Paul Gaultier's custom dress at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and whether it was a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Maan then talks about the exhibition of Syrian artist Khalid Akil entitled The Infinite & The Finite now on show at Ayyam Gallry in Alserkal Avenue until June 25. The exhibition is Akil's first foray into painting from the medium of photography where he explored concepts of the infinite through large immersive paintings that experiment with colour, form and process.

Enas and Maan then discuss their thoughts on Netflix’s original film, the Arabic romcom Honeymoonish, starring Egyptian actress Nour Al Ghandour, Kuwaiti actor Mahmoud Boushahri, and directed by Lebanese filmmaker Elie El Samman. Honeymoonish is the first non-English film to hit number one on the streaming platform’s weekly Top 10, plays with modern western tropes of the romcom genre while adding its own Arab twist.

Finally, the hosts share their thoughts about part one of season of Netflix’s Bridgerton. Maan is a big fan of the show he has some qualms on how far the series has deviated from the essence of the series of novels by Julia Quin while Enas is not interested in the genre of regency era-romance.

However, they both discuss how Bridgerton has impacted pop culture and reframed the notions of diversity and character representation on the screen.

Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal discuss a digital movement that has taken over the internet, urging social media users to block celebrities who have been publicly silent about the war in Gaza.

They explain how the #blockout campaign grew in the days following the Met Gala, how it is affecting the online influence of a number of celebrities and reactions from some influential personalities.

Maan also talks about starting an art collection with a modest budget, explaining why people should consider it and where to find pieces from emerging artists in the region. A full guide can be found in his story here.

Finally, the hosts share their excitement for Abu Dhabi Comedy Week, which will see some of the biggest names in the business, including Dave Chapelle, Aziz Ansari and Bassem Youssef, performing in the capital.

Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal talk about global artists showing solidarity with Palestinians through music, with a focus on American rapper Macklemore, who released his new track Hind’s Hall this week.

The song, inspired by student protests happening around the world, pays tribute to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza earlier this year.

The hosts then discuss the Met Gala, one of the world's most glamorous events, commenting on this year’s dress code and the fashion choices of popular figures like Zendaya, Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian and Tyla.

The conversation then turns to Netflix’s new Bollywood drama series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar by Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, with hosts discussing what makes the series special, in terms of its location, storyline, costumes and filmmaking.

Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal start by talking about indoor season kicking off in the UAE, and all the activities and attractions that can be enjoyed in the country, with indoor theme parks, shopping malls and cultural centres.

The hosts then turn their attention to jailed Palestinian author Basim Khandaqji, who was announced as the winner of the 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his novel A Mask, the Colour of the Sky. They talk about the novel, how it was written from prison and what it represents.

Enas, Farah and Maan then celebrate the selection of Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki as a jury member for the 77th Cannes Film Festival, sharing their favourite films directed by her.

Lastly, the hosts dive into a conversation about Netflix's Baby Reindeer, a limited series that has become a major hit online since it had its premiere on April 11. They discuss the storyline, how it is based on true events and their thoughts about the dark show.

Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal discuss the impact of the intense rain and floods that hit the UAE last week, which was the country's largest recorded rainfall in 75 years, with significant disruption felt across the Emirates. They also highlight the community efforts to support those affected by the severe weather.

The hosts then turn their attention to the Venice Biennale, the international art exhibition that takes place in the Italian city every two years. Maan spotlights the Arab representation, listing some of the regional artists and pavilions taking part.

The hosts then dive into Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, which was released last week. Farah gives an enthusiastic rundown of notable themes and tracks on the surprise double album, and the trio share their overall impression and their favourite tracks.

Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms.