Culture Bites

Episode 40: What we’ve watched, read, listened to and enjoyed this year so far

It’s a special summer edition of Culture Bites this week. To mark the halfway point of the year, hosts Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal take the opportunity to look back at their favourite cultural experiences so far.
From books and movies to art exhibitions and music concerts, the hosts share their top picks in a moment to celebrate all the year has had to offer. They discuss some of the biggest pop culture hits, including The Bear and House of the Dragon, and all things Taylor Swift. They also highlight their most memorable visits to galleries and performances in the UAE.
Looking forward, the hosts cast their sights on entertainment they are anticipating later this year. Maan is looking forward to the release of the Wicked movie later in November, and Farah awaits Laura Marling’s music album, Patterns in Repeat which will be out in October. Catch more of their cultural forecasts in this summer special episode.

Episode 39: Was Adidas right to axe Bella Hadid from its SL72 campaign?

In this week's episode of Culture Bites, hosts Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal highlight some of their top picks from this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards nominations. With Shogun and The Bear leading the race, the hype has officially begun ahead of the awards ceremony taking place on September 15.
To mark the tragic passing of Iranian contemporary artist Farhad Moshiri, Maan and Farah pay tribute to the creative often dubbed the “Middle East's Andy Warhol”. They reflect on his artist philosophy of “looking for the undiscovered” and on his pop art-inspired style. Moshiri, who was represented by Dubai’s Third Line Gallery, died aged 61.
The hosts also discuss the controversy surrounding adidas axing Bella Hadid from a recent SL72 trainers campaign. The shoes were created to pay tribute to the 1972 Munich Olympics. Adidas dropped Hadid after receiving public backlash for featuring a half-Palestinian model in a campaign linked to the Olympic Games, in which 11 Israeli athletes and a coach were killed by a Palestinian militant group. The hosts question the role that brands are expected to play in the face of mounting political pressure.

Episode 38: A new dawn for Arabic true crime and Dubai’s Editions art fair

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal discuss the up-and-coming true crime genre in the Arab world with the release of the docuseries, Dark Minds.
The show details some of the most heinous murders from across the region, featuring interviews and dramatic re-enactments. Enas shares a glimpse of the episode she started watching and Maan steers the conversation towards criticism of the over-sensationalist true crime genre.
In the wake of actress Shannen Doherty’s passing, the hosts look back at the legacy of the Beverly Hills, 90210 era and the iconic brand of American teen dramas that left its mark on an entire generation. Doherty, who played the iconic Brenda Walsh on the show in the 1990s, died aged 53 after battling cancer for years.
Finally, Maan and Enas look ahead to the Editions art fair that will take place in Dubai in November this year. In an effort to draw art enthusiasts with a range of budgets, the new exhibit from Art Group Dubai will focus on editioned art such as prints or replicas made from a master.
Finally, don’t miss the hosts’ recommendations. This week Enas suggests a show with much intensity and Maan is reading a first-person novel with a lot of character.

Episode 37: Arab stories being told through film and Ambani wedding timeline explained

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal share highlights from this year's Amman International Film Festival, where a an impressive roster of documentaries and dramas from Arab filmmakers are being screened, and have already got global conversation going.
The hosts share some of the titles worth watching including My Sweet Land and Bye, Bye Tiberias. The new Palestinian production and distribution house Watermelon Pictures is led by Alana Hadid, half-sister of models Bella and Gigi Hadid, who has made an appearance at the festival.
It's an exciting week for the Arab film industry, as the Emirati-Saudi comedy Al Eid Eiden opens in cinemas. Created by an all-Emirati team of women, the movie is directed by Maitha Alawadhi, produced by Rawia Abdulla and written by Sara Al Sayegh. The hosts also discuss its significance in promoting tourism to Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, where the film was shot.
The much anticipated final leg of the Ambani wedding is finally nearing. Farah breaks down the timeline of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s celebrations, which have stretched nearly a year and a half and have included performances from Rihanna, the Backstreet Boys and, most recently, Justin Bieber.
In a new addition to the show, the hosts share their own experiences as recommendations for the week. In this episode, they suggest eateries around the UAE, inspired by the recently released 2024 Dubai Michelin Guide.

Episode 36: Glastonbury from a Palestine cause perspective and Goodbye Julia thoughts

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews talk about all the moments when the Palestinian cause was front and centre at Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK, from the flags to the references from Coldplay, Damin Albarn, Charlotte Church and Arab region’s 47Soul.
Farah then covers the recent controversy in Switzerland around a 2012 artwork created by South African artist Tracey Rose, and why a “Stop the Muslim Holocaust” sentence stirred disagreements among different communities, and whether the artwork was censored by the Swiss museum Kunstmuseum Bern.
Enas then shares her thoughts on the Sudanese film that dropped on Netflix in the Middle East this week, Goodbye Julia by Mohamed Kordofani, which was presented at the Cannes Film Festival last year. She talks about how the film covers the rift that happened in the years leading to the separation of South Sudan in 2011, and how the actors have mixed feelings about it streaming now as Sudan suffers from a new civil war.

Episode 35: Taylor Swift concert highlights, Elissa and all that jazz

In this week’s episode of the Culture Bites podcast, host Farah Andrews is back, joining Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal. Farah has a lot to say about Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, having attended an Edinburgh concert. The hosts chat about the intense energy of Swifties, which registered seismic activity recorded up to 6km away, and highlights from the night.
The hosts list of the notable theatre shows and performances scheduled in the UAE this summer, including Fleabag, Aida and Life of Pi, including when and where to see them.
Lebanese singer Elissa is the centre of the conversation as she celebrates 25 years of her career this week. The hosts discuss how she rose to fame in the 1990s, her influence in the Arab music world and how she opened up about her battle with breast cancer in a music video and a Netflix personal documentary.

Episode 34: Heeramandi’s Taha Shah Badussha on UAE life, acting career and aspirations

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal sit down with rising Bollywood star Taha Shah Badussha to discuss his starring role in one of the biggest shows of the year – Netflix's Heermandi: The Diamond Bazaar.
Badussha’s journey has been shaped by the UAE in many ways. He was born and grew up in Abu Dhabi, then studied entrepreneurship at the American University of Sharjah, before attending the New York Film Academy in the Emirati capital.
The actor delves into why Heeramandi was an important story to tell, how he was hand-picked by the renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the role, and how he prepared to play rich nawab Tajdar Baloch.
Badussha also talks about his mother's encouragement and influence on his career, his upcoming projects and who he would like to work with in the future.

Episode 33: What do opera houses mean for the cultural heritage of Arab cities?

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal talk about the rise and function of opera houses in Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh and across Middle East.What significance do these cultural centres in the region hold? And how do they change the fabric of a city's cultural identity?
Enas discusses the excitement surrounding the coming release of the sequel to the animated film Inside Out, reflecting on the magical impact of the first movie on her children.
Maan then discusses his list of 10 must-watch Arab films from the 1970s and how the political, social and cultural backdrop of that era was reflected in cinema.
He focuses on the film Khaly Balak Men Zozo (Watch Out for Zozo) released in 1972, starring the beloved Egyptian actress Soad Hosny.Then Enas delves into the world of press junkets and why some celebrities are complaining about them.
Should celebrities complain about having to promote their films? Do press junkets and press tours before a film's release create hype or an over-exposure of some celebrities?
And how does the cancellation of Jennifer Lopez's recent concert tour play into all of this?

Episode 32: Arab causes and art on international fronts

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal discuss Cate Blanchett’s Jean Paul Gaultier's custom dress at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and whether it was a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
Maan then talks about the exhibition of Syrian artist Khalid Akil entitled The Infinite & The Finite now on show at Ayyam Gallry in Alserkal Avenue until June 25. The exhibition is Akil's first foray into painting from the medium of photography where he explored concepts of the infinite through large immersive paintings that experiment with colour, form and process.
Enas and Maan then discuss their thoughts on Netflix’s original film, the Arabic romcom Honeymoonish, starring Egyptian actress Nour Al Ghandour, Kuwaiti actor Mahmoud Boushahri, and directed by Lebanese filmmaker Elie El Samman. Honeymoonish is the first non-English film to hit number one on the streaming platform’s weekly Top 10, plays with modern western tropes of the romcom genre while adding its own Arab twist.
Finally, the hosts share their thoughts about part one of season of Netflix’s Bridgerton. Maan is a big fan of the show he has some qualms on how far the series has deviated from the essence of the series of novels by Julia Quin while Enas is not interested in the genre of regency era-romance.
However, they both discuss how Bridgerton has impacted pop culture and reframed the notions of diversity and character representation on the screen.
Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.

Episode 31: Is blocking celebrities online the right approach to their silence on Gaza?

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal discuss a digital movement that has taken over the internet, urging social media users to block celebrities who have been publicly silent about the war in Gaza.
They explain how the #blockout campaign grew in the days following the Met Gala, how it is affecting the online influence of a number of celebrities and reactions from some influential personalities.
Maan also talks about starting an art collection with a modest budget, explaining why people should consider it and where to find pieces from emerging artists in the region. A full guide can be found in his story here.
Finally, the hosts share their excitement for Abu Dhabi Comedy Week, which will see some of the biggest names in the business, including Dave Chapelle, Aziz Ansari and Bassem Youssef, performing in the capital.
Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.