Culture Bites

Episode 21: Dune mania comes to Abu Dhabi, and does anyone actually like Madame Web?

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews start with highlights of the 77th British Academy Film Awards, from red carpet appearances, to dresses made by regional designers and the artists showing solidarity with people affected by the conflicts in Gaza and Yemen.
They also talk about Abu Dhabi hosting the Middle East premiere of Dune: Part Two, and discuss other movies filmed in Abu Dhabi such as Star Wars, Mission: Impossible 7 and Furious 7.
Farah then dives into the internet buzz around the Spider-Man-adjacent Sony film, Madame Web. She navigates through the negative fan commentary online and the positive reviews from film critics, such as The National’s own review.
Arts and Culture reporter Maan Jalal also joins the conversation to talk about The Circle Was a Point, a group exhibition at The Foundry presented by Barjeel Art Foundation and recalls what caught his eye at Ripe Market in Dubai.

Episode 20: Global artists call for Gaza ceasefire, Yemeni culture and Untold Dubai

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss how celebrities around the world are showing solidarity for Gaza on awards show red carpets, with many actors and actresses calling for a ceasefire. Stars who have spoken out about the war include American actor Mark Ruffalo and Spanish artists at the recent Goya Awards.
The hosts also talk about Al Yamaniah, a new publication founded by Yemeni-British singer Noha Al Maghafi, aka Intibint, which spotlights Yemeni female creatives and aims to create a space for the work of established and upcoming artists.
Enas and Farah then discuss Saltburn, a recently-released thriller comedy movie, sharing their impressions and rating it. They also enthuse over Netflix’s new limited series, One Day, and the trailer for Ariana Grande’s musical film Wicked.
Arts and culture reporter Maan Jalal joins the conversation to talk about his favourite performances from Perform Sharjah, where 16 artists from diverse disciplines are giving a variety of live performances. He also lists some of the big names appearing this weekend at one of the UAE's most anticipated music festivals, Untold Dubai.

Episode 19: Palestinian films, Grammy Awards and the UAE's Comic Con

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews talk about the Middle East Film and Comic Con, which is returning to Abu Dhabi from February 9 to 11.
They share highlights from the line-up of celebrities who are expected to come to town for the pop culture convention, including American actor Oscar Isaac and English actress and Marvel’s Loki star Sophia Di Martino.
Enas speaks about a film that caught her eye during Reel Palestine last weekend: Tomorrow’s Freedom, which features the story of Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti. Farah also talks about how this Palestinian film festival gathered a community of Arabs together, screening 12 feature films and offering space for social enterprises at the Reel Palestine Souq.
The hosts also talk about the 2024 Grammy Awards, sharing their highlights from the ceremony and explaining why it was a record-breaking night for Taylor Swift.
Arts and Culture reporter Maan Jalal joins the conversation to talk about exhibitions that have grabbed his attention in the UAE, including the Nika Project Space's fourth exhibition, I Can No Longer Produce the Limits of My Own Body, at Al Khayat Avenue.

Episode 18: Palestine at Eurovision, Love is Blind and Amelia Earhart

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews are back in the hot seat together as they catch up after two weeks apart.
 
They discuss the Eurovision Song Contest and how the popular singing competition has a political history. Enas also tracks Palestine's history within the contest, which looks set to continue this year.
 
Enas and Farah then chat about the hit Netflix series Love is Blind, which is coming to the UAE with a new version, Love is Blind, Habibi.
The hosts also discuss the real-life treasure hunt that is currently taking place in search of Amelia Earhart's missing plane.
 
Enas and Farah are then joined by Maan who gives a rundown on what he's been up to this week, including how he enjoyed Hamilton and what he is looking forward to at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2024.

Episode 17: Reel Palestine, Netflix and Oscar nominations

For this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal are in a new location and are without Farah Andrews. Enas discusses her recent trip to Davos, where she rubbed shoulders with Jeff Bezos, and how she was blown away by a Turkish breakdancer.
Enas and Maan then talk about Netflix's record subscriber numbers and the possible reasons why the streaming company has announced revenue of $8.8 billion. Sticking with films, they then chat about Reel Palestine, a festival that showcases Palestinian films at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai.
 
Enas and Maan also take a closer look at the Oscar nominations and, of course, the Barbie fallout, before giving their thoughts on Jimmy Kimmel, who will host this year's event.
 
Maan then gives a rundown on what he's up to in this episode's "Maan about Town", including Al Quoz Arts Fest in Dubai.

Episode 16: Samia Halaby, Emmy Awards and musicals in the region

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal discuss the cancellation of Palestinian artist Samia Halaby’s first US retrospective, which was set to showcase more than 30 works from her career.
 
They also talk about the first Saudi Arabian grand opera, which will be staged in April and is inspired by ancient folktale Zarqa Al Yamama, about a woman blessed with foresight who unsuccessfully warns her tribe of imminent danger.
 
During the episode, Farah interviews Jason Arrow, the actor playing the leading role in hit Broadway musical Hamilton, which made its Middle East debut this week in Abu Dhabi.
 
Farah and Maan also shared their highlights from this week's Emmy Awards ceremony, commenting on the most notable wins (and red carpet looks).

Episode 15: Mariah Carey in Abu Dhabi, Golden Globes memes and a royal wedding

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss their recent trip to watch Mariah Carey's performance on the first night of the Saadiyat Nights concert series. Enas and Farah were blown away by the American singer's voice and the intimate venue's atmosphere.
The hosts also talk about the Golden Globes, the fallout from Jo Koy's Barbenheimer jokes and the inevitable memes that come from awards ceremonies.
The focus then turns to the Brunei royal wedding of Prince Abdul Mateen, 32, the son of the Sultan of Brunei, and his longtime girlfriend Anisha Rosnah. They discuss the cultural traditions followed during the 10-day event and speculate over which international royals will attend the final banquet.
Arts and culture reporter Maan Jalal joins the hosts to talk about Syrian artist Tammam Azzam and his digital art that is being showcased at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai. Maan also gives his top three tips for movies and books of 2024, before chatting about Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize winner Luke Leafgren.

Episode 14: New Year in the UAE, looking forward to awards season and Mickey Mouse

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews catch up and discuss how they celebrated the New Year and their resolutions for 2024.
Farah also shares her excitement about awards season, which kicks off next week. From the Golden Globes, on January 7, to the Academy Awards in March, Farah details all the must-know dates, events and predictions for the next few months.
Enas and Farah then chat about Mickey Mouse, as the character enters the public domain, They explain what that means for him and who might be the next character to face a deadly reinvention.
The hosts are then joined by arts and culture reporter Maan Jalal, who takes them on a conceptual art journey as he talks about Afra Al Dhaheri, a young Emirati artist who is showcasing her work at Alserkal Avenue.

Episode 13: Year-end lists and best of 2023

In this special year-end episode of Culture Bites podcast, regular hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews are joined this time by arts and culture reporter Maan Jalal for a delightful conversation on the best of 2023, and lots of recommendations.
The trio dive into their favourite reads and titles that left a lasting impression, including Yellowface, Careering and Down the Drain. They also share the films and TV shows that captured their hearts, including Succession, Barbie, The Bear and The Boy and the Heron.
Enas, Farah and Maan also highlight their favourite galleries and exhibitions and the masterpieces that moved them, including Iraqi-Kurdish artist Hayv Kahraman's Gut Feelings: Part II.
Listing their favourite music albums and pieces from the year from Fred Again, Jessie Ware and Reuben McIntyre, the hosts also consider the quirkiest and most unusual stories that graced the headlines in 2023.

Episode 12: Christmas in the UAE, Mariah Carey and Dubai Bling

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews talk about Christmas in the UAE as Enas, despite growing up in the Middle East, is spending her first festive season in the country, while Farah has been celebrating the occasion in the UAE since 1997. Farah has also shared a list of Christmas films; the good, the bad and the ugly.
 
The hosts share their excitement for American singer Mariah Carey’s anticipated performance in Abu Dhabi in January. They also talk about Brad Pitt’s 60th birthday and look back at some of his career highlights.
 
Arts and culture reporter Maan Jalal joins Enas and Farah to talk about Netflix’s reality TV show Dubai Bling, which stirred controversy among Arab and international viewers for apparently depicting stereotypes about the region. The discussion also reflects an argument about the show highlighting the diversity of Arab culture, dialect and tradition.