Search form

You are here

  • Home
  • Hot properties: Ones to watch at Cannes 2022


Hot properties: Ones to watch at Cannes 2022

‘Boy from Heaven’ is by Swedish-Egyptian filmmaker Tarik Saleh. (Supplied)
Short Url

https://arab.news/8jzqr

Updated 13 May 2022
William Mullally
Follow

Hot properties: Ones to watch at Cannes 2022

  • William Mullally selects some of the highlights from this year’s lineup at the Cannes Film Festival, which opens May 17
Updated 13 May 2022
William Mullally

‘Crimes of the Future’

Director: David Cronenberg

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart

It’s been more then 20 years since David Cronenberg played in the sandbox of body horror and science fiction. With “Crimes of the Future,” the legendary filmmaker behind gory classics such as “Scanners” (1981), “Videodrome” (1983) and “The Fly” (1986) firmly embraces his roots, reviving a story he has had in the back of his mind for years and never had the opportunity to tell — about a world in which surgery becomes a form of art. The filmmaker has reunited with one of his most fruitful partners, Viggo Mortensen, who plays the lead role. Mortensen was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for the pair’s last collaboration, 2007’s “Eastern Promises.”

‘Holy Spider’

Director: Ali Abbasi

Starring:  Mehdi Bajestani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Arash Ashtiani

Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi, whose last film, 2018’s “Border,” won the Un Certain Regard award at Cannes, now finds himself competing for the festival’s biggest prize with a ‘pitch-black’ thriller, following a family man named Saeed who embarks on a dark quest to ‘cleanse’ the city of Mashhad of immorality — an endeavor that quickly turns deadly. As things progress, Saeed growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of public interest in his murderous mission, leading him to act out even further.

‘Tori and Lokita’

Directors: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Starring: Mark Zinga, Nadège Ouedraogo, Alban Ukaj, Charlotte De Bruyne

At this point, Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne are Cannes royalty, having won six prizes at the festival for six different films. That impeccable track record makes their latest, “Tori and Lokita,” a favorite in this year’s competition, with the always socially conscious filmmakers this time turning their attention to two friends who have travelled from Africa to Belgium only to be faced with its cruel realities as they struggle to survive. The film continues their turn towards more race-focused themes, with their last prize-winning film, 2019’s “Young Ahmed,” following a Belgian-Arab boy who falls victim to radicalization.

‘Decision to Leave’

Director: Park Chan-wook

Starring: Tang Wei, Go Kyung-Pyo, Park Hae-il

Korean cinema has finally broken through to the mainstream. While Bong Joon-ho may be the one who successfully broke the Oscar barrier, it was Park Chan-wook who first caught the eye of the world, with his controversial 2003 film “Oldboy” becoming one of the most widely-seen cult classics of the century thus far. With “Decision to Leave,” the filmmaker returns to Cannes for the first time since 2016’s “The Handmaiden,” this time following a detective who falls in love with a mysterious widow after she becomes the prime suspect in his latest murder investigation.

‘Boy from Heaven’

Director: Tarik Saleh

Starring: Tawfeek Barhom, Fares Fares, Mohammad Bakri

Swedish-Egyptian filmmaker Tarik Saleh makes his Cannes debut with “Boy from Heaven,” a follow up to his Sundance Film Festival winner “The Nile Hilton Incident.” While his previous political thriller stirred up some controversy in Egypt (he had to transfer production out of the country after the backlash), “Boy From Heaven” proves he has not lost his taste for confrontation. It is a political thriller following a power struggle in the wake of a high-ranking religious leader’s suspicious death.

‘Mediterranean Fever’

Director: Maha Haj

Starring: Amer Hlehel, Ashraf Farah, Anat Hadid

An aspiring writer and a small-time crook team up for a sinister scheme in “Mediterranean Fever,” Palestinian filmmaker Maha Haj’s return to Cannes after her debut, “Personal Affairs,” premiered in 2016. The film, set in Haifa, sees supporting actor from “Personal Affairs” —Amer Hlehl, who has been honing his craft with the UK’s Royal Shakespeare Company — promoted to his first big-screen leading role. He captures Haj’s trademark dark humor with an existential flare. While this is her second feature, Haj broke into film in the art department of Elia Sulaiman’s acclaimed films “The Time That Remains” and “It Must Be Heaven” before stepping behind the camera herself.

‘The Blue Caftan’

Director: Maryam Touzani

Starring: Saleh Bakri, Lubna Azabal, Ayoub Messioui

In one of Morocco’s oldest medinas, husband and wife Halim (Saleh Bakri) and Mina (Lubna Azabal) run a traditional caftan store in desperate need of help. The two hire a talented young man named Youssef — and quickly find that his presence is having a profound effect on their lives. With “The Blue Caftan,” Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani, collaborator and wife of “Casablanca Beats” filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, returns to Cannes after her highly-acclaimed film “Adam” — itself about a modest bakery in Casablanca that takes in an unexpected guest — lit up the Un Certain Regard section of the festival in 2019.

‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’

Director: George Miller

Starring: Idris Elba, Tilda Swinton

There are few more interesting film careers than that of George Miller, the Australian filmmaker behind the “Mad Max” trilogy, “Babe,” and both “Happy Feet” films. Miller never received the respect he deserved until the release of 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a deliriously masterful display of skills that garnered 10 Academy Award nominations that year. While we won’t see a follow up to that film until 2024’s “Furiosa,” Cannes will see the premiere of his latest epic, this time following a scholar (Tilda Swinton) who encounters a Djinn (Idris Elba) in Istanbul that offers her three wishes in exchange for freedom.

‘Armageddon Time’

Director: James Gray

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Anthony Hopkins, Jeremy Strong

While it still feels the world has yet to take notice of director James Gray, the American has long been a favorite at Cannes. His previous films “We Own the Night” (2007), “The Immigrant” (2013) and the Brad Pitt science fiction epic “Ad Astra” (2016) all made their debuts on La Croisette. His latest is his most personal yet, based around his upbringing in Queens, New York and starring some of the best actors in the world, including a still-at-the-peak-of-his-powers Anthony Hopkins, Jeremy Strong (“Succession”), and Anne Hathaway.

‘Triangle of Sadness’

Director: Ruben Östlund

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Harris Dickinson, Oliver Ford Davies

If you’re a fan of scathing satire, there’s a good chance you’re also a fan — or should be — of Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund, whose previous two films, “Force Majeure” and “The Square,” were two of the most hilarious, not to mention deeply uncomfortable, films of the last decade. With “Triangle of Sadness,” the filmmaker has traded in the ski slopes of Sweden and the museums of Denmark for the sunny isles of Greece, filming his latest over 72 days on a deserted island during the pandemic. It tells the story of a pair of models who find themselves at a turning point in their respective careers.

Topics: Cannes Film Festival

El Seed launches Tunisian olive oil brand Tacapae with artworks for bottles 

Updated 6 sec ago
Arab News
Follow

El Seed launches Tunisian olive oil brand Tacapae with artworks for bottles 

Updated 6 sec ago
Arab News

DUBAI: French-Tunisian artist El Seed’s take on Arabic calligraphy (sometimes referred to as ‘calligraffiti’) has embellished favelas in Brazil, marginalized buildings in Cairo, and the Saudi desert. He is known for working with local communities to share messages of human connection, based on quotes from influential writers and philosophers.  

In a departure from his usual large-scale artworks, the artist recently launched his most intimate endeavor to date. The project is called “Tacapae” and consists of olive oil-filled bottles decorated with El Seed’s swirling calligraphy. The name of the brand is inspired by the ancient Greek name of the artist’s hometown, Gabes, in southern Tunisia, from where the olive oil is sourced.  

The most powerful aspect of the ceramic, handmade bottles is the quote El Seed used. (Supplied)

“I didn’t want to call it ‘El Seed Olive Oil’ because I don’t link the oil to myself,” El Seed tells Arab News at his Dubai studio in Alserkal Avenue. “I’m the founder, but the goal is to have a bottle designed by other artists every year. It’s a kind of partnership.”  

El Seed explains that his cousin informed him of a plot of land for sale in Gabes. “And it happened that the olive trees of this land were planted by my great-grandfather,” he says.  

El Seed purchased the land and its trees now provide the oil for Tacapae. A total of 31 bottles (a tribute to the land’s original 31 trees) were personally hand-finished by the artist himself.    

A total of 31 bottles (a tribute to the land’s original 31 trees) were personally hand-finished by the artist himself.  (Supplied)

The most powerful aspect of the ceramic, handmade bottles is the quote El Seed used. Translated into Arabic from a quote by 20th-century US novelist John Dos Passos, it reads: “You can snatch a man from his country but not the country from a man’s heart.”  

Those words have resonated with El Seed his whole life. “Nobody can take away from you all the memories that you carry for a particular place,” he says. “I grew up in France, I live in the US and Canada and I spend some time in the Middle East, but my main focus is in Tunisia. I carry it with me.” 

Topics: eL Seed Tacapae

Where We Are Going Today: Armin restaurant in Riyadh

Updated 17 May 2024
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
Follow

Where We Are Going Today: Armin restaurant in Riyadh

  • Armenian cuisine is a blend of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Eastern European influences
Updated 17 May 2024
Sulafa Alkhunaizi

RIYADH: Riyadh’s popular Armenian restaurant, Armin, takes visitors on a journey of authentic flavors with its heartwarming, aromatic and herby dishes.

Armenian cuisine is a blend of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Eastern European influences with ingredients such as rice, lamb and sumac.

Armin hits the taste nail on the head with a selection of Middle Eastern dishes featuring chicken and lamb kebabs, tabouleh, fattoush, vine leaves, and a popular eggplant dip, muttabal.

The menu provides guests with options aplenty, with vegetarian and omnivorous diners catered for, making it an ideal spot for dining out.

Upon arrival, guests are spoiled with freshly baked pita bread, perfect to plunge into their dipping of choice.

The best appetizer on the menu is the hummus with meat and topped off with crispy pine nuts, making a perfect combination of nutty flavors.

A must-have side dish is the spicy potato, cooked to perfection with a kick of spice and a touch of garlic and coriander.

The star main course is the shish barak, a traditional Armenian dish consisting of dumplings made with a thin dough wrapper and filled with flavorful beef or lamb with onions and a mix of spices.

Shish barak is boiled, unlike Chinese or Japanese dumplings, which are usually pan fried or steamed.

The only downside of the visit is cost — Armin’s prices are on the high side. But given its customer service and delicious food, it is a price worth paying. Although many dishes on Armin’s menu can be found in Middle Eastern restaurants for a fraction of the price, the quality of the ingredients here is unmatched.


 

Topics: food and restaurants Armin restaurant Armenian quisine #accountancy

Related

Food & Health
Where We Are Going Today: ‘Madeo Ristorante’ - an Italian cuisine in Jeddah & Riyadh
Food & Health
Where We Are Going Today: ‘Crustacean’ - a Modern Asian cuisine at Jeddah’s Yacht Club

The story behind Saudi artist Alia Ahmad’s alluring abstracts

Alia Ahmad's 'Alwasm' at the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Updated 16 May 2024
Rebecca Anne Proctor
Follow

The story behind Saudi artist Alia Ahmad’s alluring abstracts

  • Ahmad is garnering international attention, with two solo exhibitions in Europe  
Updated 16 May 2024
Rebecca Anne Proctor

RIYADH: Hanging at the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in Riyadh is a large canvas titled “Alwasm,” a 2023 painting by Saudi artist Alia Ahmad. It’s an instant showstopper. Guests on the opening night of the event, which runs until May 24, gathered around the painting, which was inspired by Wadi Hanifah in the Najd region of Riyadh, which is where the biennale is being staged. Commissioned for the event, the painting’s alluring warm tones and lively hues capture the titular period between October and December when the weather becomes cooler and there is respite from the arid desert heat.  

Ahmad is on a roll. Since graduating from London’s Royal College of Art with a Master’s in 2020, the 28-year-old Riyadh-based painter has staged several solo exhibitions in her home country and has increasingly garnered international attention for her abstract expressionist canvases that depict the natural and urban landscape of her home country. Ahmad says she considers paintings “social spaces” as well as “blueprints.” 

Alia Ahmad's 'Malga—The Place In Which We Gather,' which sold for $128,786 at auction this year. (Courtesy of Phillips)

“These paintings represent my version of the landscape,” Ahmad tells Arab News. “They include elements that may be references to birds or various color palettes that aren’t necessarily found in the landscape, but that represent how I view it. I’m addicted to incorporating my imagination.” 

The desert landscape, she stresses, “is not necessarily dry or empty. It has so much more.” And that is what she captures in the lush, lyrical brushstrokes of her abstract works, which are filled with references to local culture. “The traditional Arab bedouin dress is filled with color. As are the tents,” she says. “Women here have traditionally embellished their gowns. Where does this sense of vibrant creativity come from? The color and playfulness we imbue our traditional dress and items with comes from the landscape.” 

Ahmad recently staged her first solo exhibition in Europe. “Terhal Gheim (The Voyage of the Clouds)” runs at White Cube in Paris until May 18.  

On March 7 this year she sold her first work at auction at the Phillips 20th Century & Contemporary Art sale in London. Her painting “Malga — The Place in Which We Gather” sold for four times its estimate, bringing in a remarkable £101,600 (roughly SAR475,825). 

Ahmad's works on display in London's Albion Juene Gallery. (Gilbert McCarragher)

And on May 2, another solo exhibition — “Thought to Image” — opened in London at Albion Jeune. Running until June 12, the show presents Ahmad’s alluring abstract landscapes, inspired by the hues of traditional textiles created by Sadu weavers of Bedouin tribes and the Arabic calligraphic script known as khatt. 

“Much of my inspiration comes from textiles,” she explains. “At one point I was obsessed with buying pieces of fabric and making collages.”  

She also used to draw stick-figure cartoons as a child, she adds. Those amateur drawings were works in progress — an aspect Ahmad continues to enjoy in her practice. “I loved the idea of having a drawing in progress to then fill in the blanks of what the character might look like later,” she says.  

Ahmad’s paintings today are an amalgamation of various aspects of her homeland — its rich natural environment from the desert to the lush palm trees and other vegetation, local dress, jewelry and animals. She brings all of them together to depict in colorful abstract forms the richness of Saudi heritage, particularly that of her home region of Najd. 

Her works, as international gallerists and collectors have found, are rife with specific local details that connect in some way with people across the world, even if only by piquing their curiosity about a country that has only recently really opened up to visitors. 

Ultimately, Ahmad’s paintings serve as a unique reference point during a time of monumental social and economic change in the Kingdom, revealing and documenting a moment of both transformation and a desire to retain and promote Saudi’s rich heritage. 

Her imaginary landscapes also include flattened perspectives, nods to her previous training in digital graphics. They reflect the futuristic visages of the modern world coupled with the beauty of the undulating curves of the desert landscape and the colorful attributes of Arabian culture. 

Each painting takes the viewer on a voyage into a vibrant abstract world that echoes aspects of everyday reality. 

As Ahmad puts it: “They are all playful paintings and I make sure that each work and each show I stage retains that aspect of curiosity.” 

Topics: Alia Ahmad Saudi Arabia art

Recipes for Success: The St. Regis Red Sea Executive Sous Chef Skotarenko Artem on educating guests and experimentation 

Updated 16 May 2024
Shyama Krishna Kumar
Follow

Recipes for Success: The St. Regis Red Sea Executive Sous Chef Skotarenko Artem on educating guests and experimentation 

Updated 16 May 2024
Shyama Krishna Kumar

JEDDAH: The newly-opened The St. Regis Red Sea is home to several restaurants, including Middle Eastern restaurant Nesma, Japanese establishment Gishiki 45, and Tilina — a “floating” restaurant that serves a degustation menu. The resort’s executive sous chef, Skotarenko Artem, from Russia, oversees a team of 75. 

“Discipline is one of the most important things in the kitchen. I can say it’s one of the pillars. But relationships in the kitchen should be based on respect. If you shout at your employees, you can make people scared, but they will never respect you for it,” Artem tells Arab News. “Shouting is a thing of the past in the kitchen.” 

The St. Regis Red Sea Resort’s Tilina offers a degustation menu for its visitors. (Supplied)

Tilina, he says, is a “unique concept for Saudi Arabia.” 

“The degustation menu takes two to three hours. Not everyone can sit for this time and wait for the dishes. So, we try to educate the guests,” he explains. 

When you started out what was the most common mistake you made?  

I guess trying to repeat the dishes of celebrity chefs that I found online, from other parts of the world. And I was really upset with the results because they were below my expectations. That was because of products and seasonality, because every country has different produce and you can’t expect to get the same results in another country. 

What’s your top tip for amateurs? 

Don’t be afraid to experiment. If you find a nice recipe and you want to follow it, most likely you won’t have all the ingredients available at home. So use your imagination and, like this, you can achieve a great result. 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?  

Doesn’t matter where you’re cooking — it can be a restaurant or at home — love is the most important. 

What’s the most common mistake that you find in other restaurants? 

I’m actually not very picky when I go out. But, for me, the most common issue is seasoning. It’s very easy to spoil a dish if you have poor seasoning; it becomes flat and, actually, it is dead. 

What’s your favorite cuisine?  

When I go out, I’m always looking for something unusual and interesting that I’m not familiar with. It helps to keep your mind open. 

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?  

I don’t actually cook at home very often. But I’ll always have fresh bread in and a piece of good quality cheese. Along with them, I have all these different kinds of preserves and pickled vegetables. So, if I have to do something quick at home, I’d make a nice Cuban-style sandwich. 

What customer behavior most annoys you?  

Actually, there’s a long list. But what really annoys me is when guests leave the table without valid excuses when the dishes are ready to serve. Because then you need to remake the dish. It’s a disservice to all the other guests in the restaurant. 

What’s your favorite dish to cook?   

Where I’m from, it tends to get very cold. So, I love to make rich soups of all kinds. But they tend to take a lot of time and patience. 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?  

Actually, I’m really flexible and adaptable. For me, everything is possible if you’re focused and committed to it. 

RECIPE 
Chef Skotarenko’s cured mackerel, salted laminaria, and dill kefir sauce 

INGREDIENTS 

For the brine: 1L water; 80g sea salt; 30g brown sugar; 1 garlic clove; 10g dill; 30g sunflower oil (or your preferred flavor of oil); 2g black pepper; 2g bay leaves 

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Place a whole mackerel (300-400g) in the brine and leave overnight. 

2. Place 500g fresh laminaria in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Strain the water and repeat the process three times. 

3. Wash the laminaria in cold water, sprinkle with 5g sea salt, and refrigerate overnight. 

4. Slice 500g fresh cucumber. Mix with 50g olive oil, a pinch of salt, and 20g apple cider vinegar. Refrigerate overnight. 

5. Mix 500g kefir (or laban if you prefer) with 30g lemon juice, 5g finely chopped garlic, 5g salt, and 2g white pepper. 

6. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 500g dill. Remove after 10 seconds and place in ice-cold water. Blend the dill with 500g olive oil until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve. 

7. Plate all the ingredients separately and serve. 

Topics: St. Regis Red Sea Resort

Haifaa Al-Mansour hopes to show ‘fire and bravery’ of Saudi women in Nike campaign film

Updated 16 May 2024
Shyama Krishna Kumar
Follow

Haifaa Al-Mansour hopes to show ‘fire and bravery’ of Saudi women in Nike campaign film

Updated 16 May 2024
Shyama Krishna Kumar

DUBAI: For Nike’s first Saudi campaign “What If You Can?” the US athletic brand collaborated with acclaimed Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour. 

Shot in Riyadh, the film aims to inspire young girls in the Kingdom to try sporting activities, and Al-Mansour brought a level of craft and authenticity deeply rooted in Saudi culture to the project, as she has done throughout her career. Her groundbreaking debut feature, 2012’s “Wadjda,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, was a love letter to the young girls of Saudi Arabia. 

“I really feel a responsibility to try and represent the world I grew up in as authentically as possible to audiences at home and abroad. I want to start conversations at home about issues that are important to us, while at the same time providing a window to our world to people who have never had access to it before,” Al-Mansour tells Arab News. 

“I think it is very important to make a film that shows international audiences what life is really like in Saudi Arabia, as there are very few opportunities for them to see it otherwise. Even with ‘Wadjda,’ I heard from a lot of foreign audiences that were surprised by how strong and sassy Saudi women actually are. There is this perception that we are weak and shy and afraid of the world, and that we are just victims, resigned to the limited, restrictive circumstances of our culture. It is so not true. Saudi women are so tough, feisty, funny, and way more savvy than most people realize. I hope this (Nike campaign) further captures the fire and bravery of women from my country. Telling their stories is the honor and privilege of my life.” 

Her work on the new campaign reminded Al-Mansour just how dramatic the changes in the Kingdom have been over the past decade. 

“It was incredibly difficult to make a film in 2011. People were still very hesitant to embrace any public form of artistic expression,” she says. “Film, especially, was seen as taboo, and the idea of opening theaters had become a red line that most of us thought would never be crossed. Of course, now everything is different. 

“For my first film I couldn’t work with the men in public, so I had to direct from a van,” she continues. “Being allowed to mix with my crew and be fully immersed in this production was amazing. It was also very exciting to have so many enthusiastic young Saudis working on the set. They are the future of the industry, and to see them giving their all was very special for me. We have a long way to go in building local expertise, but the enthusiasm is there. It’s an exciting time to be a Saudi filmmaker.” 

For Al-Mansour, the Nike ad campaign is a natural extension of her work as a filmmaker.   

 “It feels like a dream to shoot a commercial encouraging Saudi women to participate in sport, with an all-female cast, in Saudi Arabia. While I love working in the West, there is a much deeper sense of pride and emotion for me when taking on projects shot in KSA. I feel such a strong connection to this story and these issues, it is very emotional for me,” she says. 

Al-Mansour credits her parents for her creative spirit. “My father was a poet and philosopher who thought far beyond the borders of the tiny town he was from. And my mother is a free spirit. They never listened to people who criticized their way of life, and never limited opportunities for their children. It is incredibly brave to stand up for what you believe in, and neither of them ever backed down,” she says. 

As for her legacy, Al-Mansour hopes to “encourage women to always push boundaries and look for new opportunities. I want to make films that show people adjusting to change and struggling through it the way we all have to. It isn’t easy for anyone. If I hear that this project encouraged someone to go out and try a sport for the first time, not knowing if they would even be able to do it, that would be the most rewarding thing I can imagine.” 

Topics: Haifaa Al-Mansour Nike

Latest updates

Experts urge Pakistan government to probe capital flight after ‘Dubai Unlocked’ revelations
‘Hindu nation’: Religion trumps caste in India vote
Hezbollah introduces new weapons and tactics against Israel as war in Gaza drags on
Pakistan licenses Salaam Family Takaful as ‘first ever’ digital only Islamic life insurance provider
Arab League summit calls for UN peacekeepers in Palestinian territories

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2024 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.