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
Why was cosmopolitan Istanbul so threatening to Turkish identity? A new Netflix series has kicked off conversations on long-hushed questions about Turkish identity. Turkey
Egypt joins Gulf states in banning 'Eternals' Egypt joins Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar in banning the movie "Eternals," raising questions about freedom of creativity and expression. Egypt
Japanese grand piano, gifted to Arafat in 1997, plays on in Gaza The Yamaha grand piano that Japan gave to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1997 returns to make music again after being exposed to three devastating wars. Culture
Egyptian female religious chanters break gender barrier A group of young women who love the art of religious chanting decided to break into the field of chanting, which has been dominated by men since its inception, and unleash their creativity. Egypt
Saudi couples flock to beach as kingdom deals with fast pace of social change The kingdom is open for business and tourists, in the context of rapid social change, which has some conservative Saudis anxious changes are coming too fast. Gulf
Cairo Jazz Festival kicks off Jazz music fans in Egypt are about to enjoy the 13th edition of the Cairo Jazz Festival, which will take place from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5 at the American University's Tahrir Campus in Cairo. Culture
Dancer pushes for UNESCO to recognize Egyptian belly dancing Egyptian dancer Amie Sultan is working to get classical belly dance recognized as Egyptian heritage globally. Culture
Gazans open eco-friendly rest house on the beach A group of artists in Gaza established the first eco-friendly rest house on the enclave’s beach, where people can sit and enjoy the free services in exchange for food leftovers. Palestine
Qatari artist takes creative stand against plastic binge Pictures of an abaya covered with plastic wastes invite Qataris to reflect on their plastic consumption as pollution from disposable products surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gulf
Gaza graffiti combines conflict, despair and hope for Palestinians Graffiti artists in the Gaza Strip are painting murals across the besieged enclave after the latest Israeli war to send a different kind of message to the world. Palestine
As Palestinian residents of Silwan face evictions, large public artwork protests Over 150 murals in the Batan al-Hawa neighborhood of East Jerusalem form part of a political art project organized by Jews and Palestinians. Palestine
Actress' decision to quit stage draws fierce backlash from liberals An Egyptian actress' decision to quit acting and don the hijab has stirred controversy in Egypt, highlighting the widening rift between ultraconservatives and liberals in society. Egypt
