Oscar-winning Palestinian director freed from Israeli detention after night in custody Hamdan Ballal, a co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land," was assaulted by Israeli settlers and later detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank as the Israeli army continues its raids in the Palestinian territory. Palestine
Palestinian-Israeli documentary, Iranian film win at Oscars: What to know Two films from the Middle East won Oscars at Sunday's Academy Awards, highlighting the growing reputation of the region's film industry at a time of ongoing tensions and crises. Palestine
Lebanon's resistance through culture: Return of Beirut’s Metropolis Cinema As Beirut continues to navigate its path toward recovery, Metropolis Cinema stands as a symbol of the enduring power of art and culture to resist, unite and inspire. Lebanon
Analysis How Saudiwood’s power play is reshaping Middle East film industry While the country's first entry at Cannes didn’t win, its inclusion in the festival was another step toward Saudi ambitions to become a film industry powerhouse. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Egyptian, international artists explore complexity of Middle Eastern identity in Cairo The Cairo Biennale has resumed after an eight-year hiatus, bringing together international and Egyptian artists to take on identity in the Middle East. Egypt
Nostalgia for 19th-century Pera meets modernity in Istanbul exhibit Cosmopolitan Pera, with luxury hotels and entertainment venues, was the recreational heart of 19th-century Istanbul, which an exhibition at the Istanbul Research Institute revisits along with a cultural addition that could have been. Turkey
Cairo to build new site for culture but will artists and fans come? Egypt has announced that it will build a state-of-the-art culture city by mid-2022, but it remains unclear whether it would attract artists and art lovers. Egypt
With 'Chernobyl,' Iranians talk other people's nuclear problems, for a change The miniseries “Chernobyl” is a big hit in Iran and has sparked a debate between conservative and Reformist media about the alleged politics and messaging behind the production. Russia
Jordanian censors try to put 'Jinn' back in the bottle "Jinn," a youth drama that takes place in a private high school in Jordan, has opened a Pandora's box on morals and censorship. Jordan
Loss, fragmentation on display at the Palestinian Museum "Intimate Terrains," the current exhibition at the Palestinian Museum, displays works by artists from different generations united in their sense of longing, loss and nostalgia. Palestine
Bleak Ramadan TV season depresses Egyptian viewers What is traditionally a light-hearted roster of Ramadan entertainment featured heavy themes of death, revenge and tragedy this year. Egypt
Will Egyptians pay to WATCHiT? WATCHiT, Egypt’s homegrown response to Netflix, is under fire from Egyptians who resent the fees it charges, artists who resent its monopoly and hackers, who've challenged its security. Egypt
Award-winning book narrates migration in five letters Hoda Barakat's "The Night Post," which tells the story of five Arab migrants, won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction amid controversy. Lebanon
Local Israeli authorities lose a little freedom on Independence Day With local governments paying increasingly exorbitant prices for performers to entertain on Independence Day, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri has introduced a cap in pricing to take effect in 2020. Israel
Why first intifada is back on Middle East art scene In conjunction with a new exhibition, founders of the Palestinian contemporary art scene met in Beirut to discuss how the political events of their time influenced their work. Palestine
Remake of Turkey's favorite school flick flunks at the box office Based on novels by the popular author Rifat Ilgaz, the "Chaos Class" film series has been a Turkish favorite for four decades, but a remake of the original comedy has been widely panned. Turkey
