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
'The Guest' gets cold shoulder from Egyptian Islamic scholars Egyptian religious scholars want “The Guest,” an award-winning film, banned. Egypt
Rare book exhibit draws crowds in Jerusalem The "Maimonides: A Legacy in Script” exhibit, a collection of rare manuscripts by a renowned Jewish scholar, is drawing unusually large crowds of Orthodox Jews to Jerusalem’s Israel Museum. Israel
Ramallah's got talent: A new platform presents it Sard, a Ramallah-based creative initiative, provides budding celebrities and inspired amateurs with a stage to present their talent and tell their stories. Palestine
Egypt’s oldest Arabic calligraphy school struggles to survive Many institutes of calligraphy simply closed their doors when the Egyptian government stopped subsidizing them, but one school persists. Egypt
Syrian artists find new platform, inspiration in Beirut The Syrian conflict has seen many artists move to Beirut, using the capital to strengthen the artistic link between the two countries, a phenomenon explored by "Moussem Cities: Damascus starts in Beirut." Lebanon
Why Israel’s culture minister defended Haifa’s Christians Christians in Haifa demanded that the McJesus sculpture be removed from the Haifa Museum of Art, but they certainly did not ask for provocative Culture Minister Miri Regev to intervene. Israel
Streaming revives Turkey’s TV industry Turkish production companies are creating original content for Turkey’s internet generation that is receptive to nationally produced TV series available for a fee online. Turkey
How this royal portrait boosted Qatari national identity A sense of national identity has been growing steadily in Qatar since the Saudi-led blockade began in June 2017, and it seems as though an image of the Qatari emir has helped it along the way. Qatar
3D maps in Beirut tell story of Nakba “A National Monument” exhibition in Beirut presents the changing map of Palestine after the Nakba. Lebanon
Turkey's 'horse whisperer' races ahead at the box office A cinematic homage about the record-breaking racehorse Bold Pilot and his jockey is filling Turkish theaters and bringing audiences to tears. Turkey
How an Ottoman diplomat captured Levantine 'glitterati' in caricatures An exhibition in the Turkish capital highlights an Ottoman bureaucrat's caricatures of the diplomatic set in the waning days of the empire. Turkey
"We’re here, we exist": Sidon’s poets break new ground Musicians and poets are challenging social norms in Sidon, Lebanon’s conservative third-largest city. Lebanon
