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
'Punk Orientalism' looks at Russia’s complex relationship with Arab world through art Author Sara Raza explores in her new book the relationship of art between the former Soviet Union and the Arab world through the eyes of several artists. Gulf
Palestinian artists win prestigious Israeli art prize for first time In winning the prestigious 2023 Rappaport award, Hannan Abu-Hussein and Maria Saleh Mahameed mark a breakthrough for Israeli-Arab artists. Palestine
Libyan artists turn to black comedy to show youth exploitation A play dubbed “Chocolate Egg” uses black comedy to show the exploitation of young Libyans by officials to lure them into military formations. North Africa
Hajipour’s 'Baraye,' anthem of Iran's protests, wins Grammy award The first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, presented the award to Hajipour at the Grammy Awards, although Hajipour was not present. Biden called the song a “powerful and poetic call for women’s rights.” Iran
First-ever Islamic Arts Biennale held in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah The landmark event aimed to celebrate Islamic culture amid the kingdom’s cultural expansion. Gulf
Restaurants in Dubai, Tel Aviv, Amman among top 50 in region Dubai’s Orfali Bros Bistro is No. 1. on The World's 50 Best Restaurants in the Middle East. It was founded by three Syrian brothers from Aleppo. Gulf
BBC Arabic radio off air after 85 years, an 'end of an era' Journalists lamented the loss of the iconic station, but BBC will continue to produce Arabic-language content on its website. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Lebanon’s cultural scene roars back, defying the economic meltdown After years of dramatic political events and economic struggles, the Lebanese cultural scene is regaining its local footing, reopening museums and launching new ones. Lebanon
Israel's Jews flock to Arab towns for Christmas Many Arab towns and villages, not necessarily Christian, are now featuring Christmas markets, targeting also Israeli Jewish tourists. Israel
Turkey's government wants refund for movie following LGBTQ controversy The move is widely seen as a fresh episode of the culture war the government has been waging against the country’s artistic scene over critical opinions and queer content. Turkey
Israelis outraged over Netflix film showing IDF murdering Palestinians Israeli actress Nataly Dadon canceled her Netflix subscription, protesting against the streaming giant adding the anti-Israeli/anti-IDF film "Farha" to the platform. Israel
Artists from Middle East stand out in women-dominated Venice Biennale This year’s edition of the world’s longest-running art show corrects a history of gender inequality by putting female artists at its center. Turkey
