Culture Bites

Episode 43: Has Blake Lively proved there is such thing as bad movie publicity?

In this week's episode of the Culture Bites podcast, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal break down the press tour drama surrounding new film It Ends with Us. Beyond reported rifts on set between lead actress Blake Lively and co-star and director Justin Baldoni, critics are unimpressed with Lively’s movie marketing approach.
Farah points out the problematic disparity between the film’s serious subject matter, which includes domestic abuse, and the actress’s interviews and appearances, which feel more framed to a romcom. Enas watched the film and gives her take on it, while Maan poses an age-old question: is there such thing as bad publicity?
There’s much art and culture from the region for London visitors to discover before the summer wraps up. The hosts highlight two notable shows taking place. Sharjah's Barjeel Art Foundation is showcasing its Hudood: Rethinking Boundaries exhibition at the SOAS Gallery, which was curated by the institute's students. Meanwhile Sotheby’s hosts Hafla, celebrating regional fashion, Islamic art and Saudi culture.
Also in the UK, one of the biggest performance art festivals in the world, Edinburgh Fringe, is taking place. The hosts give honourable mentions to some of the most compelling acts from the region, including Dubai's Sunil Mashari, Khawla Ibraheem with her solo piece Knock on the Roof, and British-Lebanese stand-up comic Isabelle Farah.

Episode 42: What do Banksy's animal artworks really mean?

Enas Refaei is back for this episode of Culture Bites, joining Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal to preview the popular 1990s and 2000s music artists coming to the UAE this season.
The Backstreet Boys are returning to Abu Dhabi this October, a little more than a year since their last performance in the capital. But they are not the only act bringing nostalgia to town this autumn. The hosts look ahead to performances by artists from various genres, including Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix concerts by Maroon 5 and Eminem, as well as a concert by Green Day in Dubai.
Across London this past week, animal-themed Banksy artworks have been appearing in multiple locations, driving the public to speculate about their meaning. Since last Monday, a series of animal silhouettes have appeared in different locations across the British capital. It hasn't taken long for art commentators to read deeper political and social meaning into the pieces, particularly about the situation in Gaza. Enas, Farah and Maan break down some of the theories and share their interpretations.
The hosts also discuss who they think could play the main roles in a Britney Spears biopic, which seems to be on the horizon after the movie rights to her memoir were acquired. In a post on X, the artist had teased the news, announcing that she’s working on a “secret project” with producer Marc Platt.
To wrap up this week, the hosts share a spectrum of personal recommendations including a film, an audiobook series and a Dubai dining experience.

Episode 41: Why shawarmas are an unexpected star of Marvel movies

This week on Culture Bites podcast, hosts Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal give a roundup of House of the Dragon as season two ends. With eight episodes, it was already short, but the finale also left the hosts feeling short changed.
They review the show and discuss the challenges of adapting fantasy novels into TV series.
With the Olympics almost coming to a close, Farah and Maan uncover a lesser known aspect of the sporting event’s history. In staying true to the values of the original ancient Olympics, the event included fine art competitions alongside its sporting categories in the early 20th century. This included contests in literature, architecture and music, with the winners awarded medals the same as athletes.
Also, Farah noticed a recurrent quirk in Marvel films when she watched Deadpool & Wolverine at the weekend. What’s with the shawarma? She and Maan speculate on what this Easter egg could possibly mean, and how culturally familiar themes may not always be favourable.

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.