Production designer Eugenio Caballero's interview with Nesta on the Set design for film Bardo directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu

For the 79th Venice Film Festival I met with the award winning mexican production designer Eugenio Caballero, who was present for film Bardo, False Chroncle of a Handful of Truths in competition at biennale cinema on Lido di Venezia with the director Alejandro G.Inarritu, and cast and crew attending the event. Caballero shares his thoughts and instincts on the Set design process, and offers an insight into the comedy and intensity of working with both director and the cinematographer Darius Khondji in exposing a narrative through many colourful layers of mexicanity and pre hispanic culture. I highly recommend the visual journey which Bardo takes us on, Caballero's use of imagery and intensity of perception creates another world by digital canvas rolled seemlessly through film.

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/62RAgPGhz2w

:-)

Nesta

 

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„When the Woodlark Sings“ – Nominee at the Alternative Film Festival Toronto

Yeah! At the Alternative Film Festival in TORONTO Canada our film was nominated in the category BEST DIRECTOR! We would like to thank our team and our supporters for making this film happen together.

☞ Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/oXuEJiN3rD0

☞ Watch the music-clip: https://youtu.be/sDsy_MdP4gE

☞ More information: https://heidelerche-film.cittador.com/festivals/

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Citadel, Review: When James meets, Jane it’s a Bond

Citadel, Review: When James meets, Jane it’s a Bond

Two franchises have set the benchmark as far as spy thrillers go. No marks for guessing that these are James Bond and Mission Impossible. It’s been a mind-boggling 61 years since the first James Bond film was released. Ethan Hunt, of Mission Impossible, first appeared on screen in 1996, 27 years ago. And neither seems to have called it a day. Both have a male protagonist, who performs mind-boggling stunts and survives against all odds. Hold your horses: here comes Citadel, which is a slightly archaic term for fort, fortress, stronghold, bastion, castle, refuge or sanctuary. It also stands for an exciting but highly unlikely pairing of British star Richard Madden and India’s Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, in a futuristic, grandly mounted, six-part (Season 1) web series, on Amazon Prime Video, that premiered yesterday.

Episode 1 is titled The Human Enigma. We see the inverted image of a train moving along the Italian Alps, with a woman in red in focus. She notices a man taking his seat and checks his details in his Russian passport, which is in her hands. His name is Gregor. She is in contact with Bernard Orlick, through a earphone, who indulges in small talk. Then, he comes to the point, and reminds her that Gregor is carrying a bag that has uranium in it and will sell it to the any number of nefarious bidders. Orlick has also armed the woman, who is called Nadia Sinh, with deadly gadgets, which she calls toys. A man approaches her and asks in Italian whether the seat next to her is taken. He adds that he got kicked out of the First Class compartment because it was a No Smoking bogey. Nadia responds that this is a No Smoking train. He replies that he does not smoke, but he does not like being told not to. Nadia informs him that the seat is taken and that she is waiting for a friend.

He sits down in any case. She switches to Mandarin for a moment, addresses the man as Mason, and asks him what he is doing there. There is a dash of German heard, and he replies that Grace needed the best here. Some Spanish later, he reminds Nadia that they are a team. She notices a wedding ring on Mason’s finger, which, he reveals, is part of his cover. Both reminisce about old times. It is time for action. Nadia heads for Gregor, his handler follows, and Mason follows the handler. The two men get into a really brutal fight, during which the handler pulls out a gun with a silencer. But Mason gets the better of him. Meanwhile Nadia goes up to Gregor, in the restaurant car, and gives him his passport, saying that he probably dropped his wallet in the passenger car. She gets cosy with him, and then pulls out a gun, demanding the uranium bag. It turns out that there is no uranium, and that Gregor knows her identity. The uranium story was all a plot to lure Citadel agents and hand deliver them a video showing the mayhem that has been perpetrated on Citadel operatives. Nadia asks Gregor who is he. Suddenly there is a lot of gunfire, and the Beretta is taken away from Nadia. Mason arrives in the nick of time and together, they manage to put six of Gregor’s men down. Before detonating a suicide bomb, Gregor says, “Manticore will always find you.”

Jointly created by Newton Thomas Sigel (director), David Weil (teleplay) and Josh Appelbaum & Bryan Oh and David Weil (story), Citadel has an undeniable James Bond hangover. The train fight has been a main attraction in several Bond films, and Citadel goes along that path. Here the action is breakneck, a fact that can be partly excused if we consider the possibility that the viewer can always pause and rewind to catch a detail. Ideally, there should be no need to do this. Confession: I did it! Episode 1 is titled The Human Enigma, but viewers will have to wait till the end to find anything enigmatic. That part of the story that I have revealed above is the type of content that constitutes the pre-titles scenes in Bond films, though they are obviously not so long. It seems odd that a rival outfit has to lay an elaborate plot about uranium and take a retinue of eight agents on a train ride in the Italian Alps just to lure a Citadel agent and show him/her a video on a laptop. Technology is way ahead of such a beginners’ scheme. And then, there seems to be no convincing reason for Gregor to blow up himself and the train. Josh Appelbaum has also been a co-producer and screenwriter for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. So it’s not Bond, is it? It’s Ethan Hunt. David Weil is a writer, producer, director and showrunner for television. He is known for creating the Amazon Prime Video television series, Hunters. Bryan Oh wrote some episodes of Life on Mars.

Conversations are cryptic and vague. Humour is subtle. There is swearing, too, which is no surprise. A woman agent launching a spy story on screen is not common, neither is the fact that the woman is an Indian actress. And she is given toys, a là Quartermaster Q, in Bond movies. Sadly, she does not get to use any of them. As the series progresses, we will see Artificial Intelligence and science fiction at play. Citadel has a way of erasing memories of its agents. In 2002’s The Bourne Identity, Jason Bourne wakes up having been shot and unconscious, from the Mediterranean, on to a fishing boat, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Citadel takes it several steps ahead and makes memory erasure a deliberate act, with the tools in the hands of the Citadel bigwigs. One wonders what was the context of Gregor saying “Manticore will always find you,” just before blowing himself and the train to smithereens. When nobody will remain, who will Manticore find? Both their top agents would be lunch for the fishes. Manticore, incidentally, turns out to be a rival spy agency, with an evil manifesto, and with an agenda to destroy Citadel.

Richard Madden, 37, is a Scottish Shakespearean actor who was seen as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones. In Bodyguard (2018), he played a Police Officer, not too far apart from Citadel’s Mason. It got him a Golden Globe Award. Since then, he has been seen in Rocketman, 1917 and Eternals. Although he is Scottish, like Sean Connery, one would little in common between them. He seems all too serious. Nevertheless, he handles action scenes well. The emotional bits follow, in the rest of Episode 1 and in Episode 2. As can be expected of a stage actor, his diction is very clear. His face, however, is rather waxen. Priyanka Chopra, going on 41, Miss World 2000, has won two national awards. She appeared on screen for the first time in 2002 and has done a huge variety of roles. Chopra was cast in the American thriller series Quantico as the character Alex Parrish, making Chopra the first South Asian to headline an American network drama series. With the characteristic tilt of her head, she plays the seductress-in-red to perfection. Her conversation with Richard Madden is quite natural, but the spark is missing. Stanley Tucci has too many differing roles under his belt, and is a good Bernard Orlick. Others in the main cast are Lesley Manville as Dahlia Archer, Osy Ikhile as Carter Spence, Ashleigh Cummings as Abby Conroy, Roland Møller as Anders Silje and Davik Silje and Caoilinn Springall as Hendrix Conroy.

Full of VFX, the technical aspect is on par with the standards. Cinematography is credited to the director, Newton Thomas Sigel, and Michael Wood. Citadel is a project largely backed by the Russo Brothers, Anthony and Joseph, the superhero specialists, who directed four films in the Marvel Comics Universe: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Citadel is entertaining, without excelling. The science fiction/spy thriller/artificial intelligence composite genre is not easy to plumb, with benchmarks being rather high, and many narratives/premises/angles/ploys/plot points already milked, over the last six decades. Though I have seen two episodes of Citadel, I will not include any spoilers in this review. As a web series, you need not set your expectations as high as a state-of-the-art big screen extravaganza. Watch it, in your spare time. James Bond, with Jane Bond sharring stellar honours, for 42 minutes, can't be all that bad.

Rating: ** ½

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux9qnxnyl6g

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Azamgarh, Review: Saving the honour of a city, and a religion

Azamgarh, Review: Saving the honour of a city, and a religion

Quite often, the religious minority of Indian Muslims is targetted for producing and harbouring young men who join terrorist groups, both within and outside India. While maybe a hundred or two hundred such misguided souls are either killed in encounters or found guilty of terrorist attacks and accordingly punished by the law of the land, there are an estimated 20 million Muslims whose motherland is India and who live in peace. That gives us a figure of 0.0001% for who have gone astray. Therefore, condemning Muslims roundly, as many fanatically inclined people are prone to do, is nothing, if not unfair. Azamgarh derives its title from a district in Uttar Pradesh, which has a notable Muslim population, and has produced famous personalities, but which has, in the film, produced a bunch of terrorists as well. Can the stains of disrepute, splashed by the sons of the soil, be washed away by a few good men? A laudable theme, but tacky treatment and amateurish direction, fail to nail the issue.

It is 1999. Aamir is an outstanding student and has topped the Intermediate exam in the entire state. His mother was expecting it, so brings out a plate full of sweets, to be distributed among the inhabitants of the small town. However, nobody is willing to partake of the offering because a religious scholar from Azamgarh, Ashraf Ali, has been arrested on a charge of master-minding bomb attacks. The news is spreading, thanks to television, and the mood is sombre, with a sense of outrage. Already, four Muslims from Azamgarh have been killed in police encounters. Fellow townsmen taunt Aamir that he will follow in the footsteps of the terrorists. First he will go to Aligarh Muslim University (a highly reputed educational institution), then to Delhi and then to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Lahore and finally to Karachi (cities in Pakistan), where the real masterminds of terror attacks in India live.

He does go to Aligarh Muslim University, with most honourable intentions, but becomes highly introverted. As it happens, he is approached by some fellow students, who want to celebrate the release on bail of their leader, Ashraf Ali. Gradually, he becomes a sympathiser of their cause and is finally initiated into their group of ‘jehadis’ (Muslims who wrongly believe that jehad means inflicting harm on and causing the death of non-Muslims) and ‘fedayeen’ (those who are ready to sacrifice their own lives while causing maximum damage to life and property). Ashraf Ali continues his activities from a small house, where he lives with three henchmen. A fourth appears there in the shape of Aamir, who is welcomed by Ashraf Ali and immediately put under training. Part of his ‘internship’ includes engineering bomb blasts in small towns, which he successfully carries out. However, he is seen by the police, who put-up posters, announcing a huge reward for anyone who gives information about him.

It is Kamlesh Mishra’s debut feature, and, sadly, it looks it. He has a very thin story line to work on, and depends a lot on the climax to get his message through. But viewers might not make it to the climax. All characters are stereotypes, whether it is the brilliant student or his pious mother or the taunting townsmen, or the TV anchors or the recruiting henchmen, or the terrorists or the police inspector. Too much footage is given to the Inspector, who says nothing new. The fact that he spares Aamir’s mother torture because she is woman does show some compassion. Yet there is one character who rings true, and that is the other Maulana (religious scholar), who speaks from the heart while being interviewed by a TV channel. In fact, one senior police officer talks for so long on TV that it almost becomes a speech. All TV anchors speak very fast, which may be the norm these days, but when they are shown in split screen, with captions below, it becomes hard to follow. Aamir walks about freely, in spite of there being a reward on his head.

It has been reported that the film was started eight years ago, and with no stars whatsoever, getting a release of any sort must have been a task in itself. Pankaj Tripathi is the only known face, and he will not attract audiences in such a set-up. There is so much screen time given to TV footage that it appears that certain channels are backing the project, though that is definitely not the case. It has also been reported that this was to be a 60-minute film but has been expanded to 90 minutes on the editing table. If this is true, the act has done disservice to the project. Mishra pays tribute to the great men who were born in Azamgarh, like Maulana Shibli Nomani and the poet-lyricist, Kaifi Azmi, and laments the fact that, of late, Azamgarh is in the news for the wrong reasons. Maybe he is from Azamgarh himself! The idea of infiltrating the ranks of the ‘enemy’, by performing barbarous acts, only to plan vengeance, is a tried and trusted formula, not a piece of great writing. Many of the scenes in Aligarh Muslim University are similar and predictable.

Pankaj Tripathi is mis-cast as Ashraf Ali. He remains Pankaj Tripathi for most of the film, but gets into variety mode on a couple of occasions, for a change. For some strange reason, Anuj Sharma is not given any dialogue for about thirty minutes. Explaining his mute persona, Ashraf Ali says, “He is a man of few words.” In an anomaly of sorts, Anuj, as Aamir, looks older in 1999 and younger in 2002! This might be thanks to finding the right wig and/or a more competent make-up man. But he does not lack sincerity or effort. As Aamir’s mother, Amita Walia rolls out emotions after emotions, but looks more like Aamir’s elder sister. Adil Shekh can pass off as Headley, the real-life half American who abetted the conspiracies of real-life Pakistani mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, but his accent is as false as they come. Playing the Inspector, Ramji Bali has plenty of focus; if only he had been given a better written role. Putting in a cameo as Radhe, the Muslim-hating young man, Vivek Jaitely is passable. Also in the cast are Sudarshan Bhatt, Shrikant Varma and Naresh Gosai.

Although he managed to convert a 60-minute film into a 90-minute one, editor Biren Jyoti Monty could not avoid jerks in cutting and in the narrative. The music often drowns the dialogue completely. One would have thought that all the Muslim characters in Azamgarh would have correct diction, having studied Urdu and speaking it at home. In fact, the best diction comes from a male TV anchor on the left of the screen, who speaks both English and Urdu fluently. There are two songs in the film. Of them, the qawwali is better. Yet, it cannot be denied that the on screen singer and the recorded voice do not match. That is surprising, because the two voices belong to the same person, one of the Nizami Bandhu. It is written by Pratap Somvansh.

Azamgarh is a well-intentioned fiction tale, inspired by true events. Simplistic, unimaginative treatment, however, come in the way of the moral and the message.

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Want Cash Out of Your Home? Here Are Your Best Options

CNN Heroes: Sharing the Spotlight

Singers and music labels come together for long-awaited agreement on royalty

Singers and music labels come together for long-awaited agreement on royalty

The Indian Music Industry (IMI), the apex body representing all music labels in India, and the Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA), the apex body representing all singers in the country, have signed an agreement between member labels of ISRA and IMI. As a result of this, pact, all record labels, singers and musicians will be greatly benefitted, at pan India level, and get royalties at much higher levels than at present.

IMI and ISRA express their heartfelt gratitude to India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Textiles, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Mr. Piyush Goyal, for unconditionally extending all possible help to all the artistes associated with the music sector and the entire music world. It took almost four years and endless meetings between the Minister, singers and music companies. While it is a cause for celebration, as was witnessed at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, yesterday, the Indian music industry adds a word of caution and appeals to the Government of India to help combat the menace of digital piracy and copyright infringement.

Expressing his happiness, President of ISRA, Padma Shri Anup Jalota (playback, ghazal and bhajan singer) said, “I would like to thank the Government of India, especially Mr. Piyush Goyal, without whose help this contract would not have materialised."

Vikram Mehra, President, IMI and Managing Director, Saregama (music company), said, “India is also recognised globally for its musical diversity. If the Indian music industry has to gain a foothold in the world, it is important that all stakeholders work together, to achieve this goal. We've all seen the positive results of working with musicians, songwriters and publishers. I'm sure the results will be just as positive when performers and sound recording owners work together."

Mr. Sanjay Tandon, Founder, Director & CEO, Indian Singers Rights Associations (ISRA) said, “It gives me immense pleasure to see that record labels and all artistes are finally making a concerted effort. This will greatly benefit the music industry. A lot will be achieved, and the industry will get the status it deserves. This historic agreement is great news for all."

Speaking on the occasion, Blaise Fernandes, President & CEO, Indian Music Industry, said, “This historic agreement will go a long way in helping the Indian music industry to become one of the 10 largest music industries in the world. If we all work towards the same goal, then the results will be good, and this has been happening all over the world.”

During the press get-together, it was revealed that USA generates 50 times more revenue from music than India, although we are a much bigger nation and music has a special place in many more persons’ hearts that in the USA. It was also mentioned that hotels are loathe to pay royalty for the use of recorded music. One music company had expressed the view that since singers expect better royalty from music companies, they should, in turn, pay the music company royalty, for the songs they perform in concerts.

ISRA’s Board of Advisors includes playback singer Asha Bhosle, who was to attend the event, but pulled out at the last moment as she was feeling feverish. One must remember she will turn 90 this year. The legendary Lata Mangeshkar, Asha’s older sister, who headed ISRA when it was founded, is no more. Others from the Board of Advisors and Board of Directors who were spotted included Talat Aziz, Alka Yagnik, A. Hariharan and Kumar Sanu. Also present were two old friends of mine, Shailendra Singh and Udit Narayan. One of the earliest to arrive was Anuradha Paudval. Singer Sonu Nigam often joined Sanjay Tandon and Anup Jalota in the talks with the Minister, who is based in New Delhi, while most of the singers and music companies are Mumbai-based.

Many other famous singers attended the event.

About IMI:

The Indian Music Industry (IMI) is the apex body, representing the interests of the music industry in India. IMI aims to further strengthen the roots of the Indian music industry and nurture and preserve the Indian musical traditions. In a variety of ways, IMI ensures that copyrights in music are properly assessed and not infringed. IMI is fully committed to the enforcement of copyright laws on a pan-India basis. IMI is registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961.

About ISRA: https://isracopyright.com/

Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA) is a copyright society registered under the Copyright Act of 1957, with the Central Government. It is fully committed to collect appropriate royalty for singers, to perform copyright related work related to the performing rights of singers and to ensure the rights of singers at all India level. It is an apex body, formed to protect the interests of all the performers in India.

For more information, log on to:

(info@isracopyright.com)

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Look of the Week: Blackpink headline Coachella in Korean hanboks

Bringing the second day of this year's Coachella to a close, K-Pop girl group Blackpink made history Saturday night when they became the first Asian act to ever headline the festival. To a crowd of, reportedly, over 125,000 people, Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé used the ground-breaking moment to pay homage to Korean heritage by arriving onstage in hanboks: a traditional type of dress.

NatureTrack FF Call for Entries NOW through June 30 on FilmFreeway.com

If you have a nature documentary, NatureTrack Film Festival is looking for entries now through June 30 via FilmFreeway.com   Based in Santa Barbara County in the nature loving city Goleta - where the University of California Santa Barbara calls home.  The new co-directors of this beloved festival graduated from the Film & Media Studies Department.

 

This is the 5th Anniversary of the nature-centric film festival - the only one of its kind between San Francisco and L.A.  The City of Goleta is fondly called "The Goodland" and we invite you to be a part of this first milestone for NTFF> 

 

Check out our SIZZLE REEL - on the front page of the website https://naturetrackfilmfestival.org/ That's where you can click through to FilmFreeway and submit your film.  

 

 

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'The Last of The Winthrops' To Have West Coast Premiere at Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival on April 21st

Touted as “Not Your Average Film Festival,” Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival (BHIFF) opens today and runs through April 22 at Regal LA Live Cinemas in downtown Los Angeles. The festival offers three days of networking, panels, and screenings. The event culminates with an awards ceremony on the 22nd.

Not to be missed is the West Coast premiere of the compelling documentary, The Last of the Winthrops, by first-time filmmaker Viviane Winthrop. The film screens in Theatre 14 at 10:20 a.m on April 21st.

The Last of the Winthrops explores the powerful revelations of a woman who reclaims her sense of self after taking an Ancestry DNA test. Initially she faces the seismic truth that her father, Reginald Winthrop, who could trace his heritage literally to the founders of America, is not her biological father. When Reg and his beautiful French Canadian wife Claire have their “miracle child,” Viviane is raised as an heir to the historic Winthrop exceptionalism and finds pride in her career in dentistry. After she is contacted by an unknown relative through their Ancestry DNA test, Viviane embraces her new identity, where she finds peace after facing powerful themes about love, blood and family.

Moving fluidly between past and present, through archival footage and private letters and recordings, the film follows Viviane on an epic journey across five countries and hundreds of years to find out who she thought she was… and finally finds her real path to her true self.

Viviane Winthrop

BHIFF is the place for inspiring filmmakers who wish to take their careers to new heights. Visit Beyond Hollywood Int'l Film Festival Tickets (bhiff.org) for tickets, the full schedule, and more information.

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Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award goes to Asha Bhosle

Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award goes to Asha Bhosle

Instituted in the memory of the late great singer, Lata Mangeshkar, on whom the highest civilian honour of India, the Bharat Ratna was bestowed by the Indian government, this is the second such annual honour that her family awards. The first one, given last year, went to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lata Mangeshkar, who sang thousands of songs, from the 1940s into the new millennium, passed away on 06 February 1922. She sang in numerous languages and composed music for a few films too. Deenanath was her father and guru, and a revered singer composer. All her siblings – Meena, Asha, Usha and Hridaynath -  have made significant contributions to music, mainly film music.

It is the 81^st death anniversary of Master Deenanath Mangeshkar. The Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratisthan (Memorial Institute), which is a Charitable Trust, registered in Pune, set-up in his memory. For the last 33 years, this Institute felicitates legends from various fields, like music, drama, art, medicine and social work. Awards are distributed on the 24^th April every year, because that day marks the death anniversary of Master Deenanath, who died at the early age of 42. A Press Conference was held on 18 April, at Prabhu Kunj, the Mangeshkars’ family abode at Peddar Road, in South Mumbai, to announce the awards and give the media a chance to interact with the Mangeshkar family.

Present on the occasion were Usha Mangeshkar 87), Hridaynath (82), who is recovering from a long bout of illness, and Aadinath Mangeshkar (63). Aadinath was the main speaker and his father and aunt later answered the queries of the media. Lata’s other two sisters are Meena Mangeshkar (Khadikar, 91) and Asha Bhosle (now in her 90^th year). A true legend, Asha Bhosle has continued to be active well into her 80s.

Last year, when Narendra Modi agreed to receive the award, the joy of the Pratishthan members knew no bounds. He flew down from New Delhi, to receive the award in person. Sadly, for Hridaynath, fondly called Bal (boy) by his near and dear ones, the joy of being present on the occasion was denied to him, as he had recently taken ill. It is only after a year of treatment that there has been perceptible improvement in his health, and he will attend the event this year. The awards ceremony, which includes music and dance performances, will be held on the 24^th of April at Shanmukhananda Hall, Sion Mumbai. Music stars Rahul Deshpande (a classical music singer and the recipient of the 68th national award of the best playback singer for the biopic Mee Vasantrao. He is the grandson of another legendary singer, Vasantrao Deshpande), and A. Hariharan (playback singer, ghazal singer, fusion music guru) will be on stage. There will also be a kathak dance performance by Meghranjini Medhi and Marami Medhi (daughter and mother duo), who will be accompanied by Pandit Joyprakash Medhi (Meghranjini’s father, a singer and music composer) providing vocals, Pandit Pranshu Chaturlal and Vinay Mundhe on the table, and Shubham Ugale on the pakhawaj. Assamese dancer Meghranjini Medhi,33, is an international kathak Dancer from Assam, India, and a reputed actor in the Assamese film industry.

Asha Bhosle is a winner of Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in the field of cinema. In 2008, she was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour of the country, after the Bharat Ratna. One will need to write tomes in her praise, to do justice. Suffice to say that if there is one singer in India who is the torch-bearer of Lata Mangeshkar’s legacy, it is her sister Asha. Possessing a different tonal quality, she carved a niche for herself way back in the early 1950s. There is no hesitation in saying that among light/film music singers, she has no competition. Of course, the Asha of 2023 cannot sound like the Asha of 1953, but that hardly matters to those who have savoured her artistry over the decades. In 2013, Bhosle made her acting debut, in the Hindi film Mai, in the title role, at the age of 79. She played the role of a 65-year-old mother who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and is abandoned by her children. In May 2020, aged 87, Bhosle launched her YouTube channel named Asha Bhosle Official.

Other awardees in 2023 include Pankaj Udhas, mainly a ghazal singer, for his contribution to Indian music, Gauri Theatres of Prashant Damle Fan Foundation, for best play of the year, Niyam Va Ati Lagu, Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh, for “yeoman’s social service”, Granthali Prakashan with the Vagvilasini Puraskar, for contribution to literature, Prasad Oak with the Vishesh Puraskar, for contribution to cinema and Drama, and Vidya Balan with the Vishesh Puraskar for contribution to cinema. A three-member committee shortlisted the awardees after a selection process. Each award carries a cash prize of Rs. 1,11,000 and certificate.

Prabhu Kunj has very fond memories for this writer. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970, I was a member of a youth organisation called the Junior Jaycees. We often held our monthly meetings at the hall on the ground floor of this building. I also have precious memories of interviewing Lata Mangeshkar at her home, in the same building, during the mid-1980s.

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Murder charge dropped against co-defendant in case of killer accused of faking his own death in South Africa

South African prosecutors have dropped a murder charge against Zolile Sekeleni, the father of the girlfriend of high-profile convicted murderer Thabo Bester, who is accused of escaping from a South African prison after faking his own death in a fire, officials told CNN Monday.

Two Russians claiming to be former Wagner commanders admit killing children and civilians in Ukraine

Two Russian men who claim to be former Wagner Group commanders have told a human rights activist that they killed children and civilians during their time in Ukraine.

Israeli police say two men shot near Jewish tomb in Jerusalem in suspected 'terror attack'

Two men have been wounded in what Israeli police say was a suspected "terror attack" that took place near the Shimon Hatzadik tomb in East Jerusalem early Tuesday local time.

Hospital fire in Beijing kills at least 21 people

At least 21 people have died after a fire broke out in Changfeng Hospital in China's capital Beijing, state media CCTV reported on Tuesday.

Sorry, Sydney — Melbourne is now officially Australia's biggest city

Melbourne has overtaken Sydney to become Australia's largest city by population — thanks to a technicality.

Australian businessman accused of supplying suspected Chinese spies with AUKUS information

An Australian man has been refused bail after being charged with a foreign interference offense for accepting cash from suspected Chinese intelligence agents, with a Sydney court saying his close ties to China made him a flight risk.

US helicopter raid kills senior ISIS leader in Syria

A US helicopter raid in northeast Syria targeted a senior ISIS leader and planner early Monday morning, according to a spokesman for US Central Command.

Intense fighting continues for third day in Sudan as death toll nears 100

Intense fighting in Sudan is continuing for a third day, sparking growing alarm among foreign governments and international organizations as the death toll ticks higher.

Debate rages on in UK after more than 100 people arrested over Grand National protests

The Grand National is regarded as a national institution by many in the United Kingdom, a must-watch sporting event -- but it is also one of the most controversial horse races in the world.

Police raid home of Japanese prime minister attack suspect as Kishida vows G7 meeting will be secure

Police have raided the home of a man suspected of throwing an explosive near Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as the leader vowed to ensure maximum security to keep global dignitaries safe during G7 meetings in the country next month.

US-sanctioned Chinese defense minister meets Putin in Moscow, hails military ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu met Sunday in Moscow, where the two hailed their countries' close military cooperation.

Look of the Week: Are we about to see more men in tights?

On Wednesday, TV personality Tan France was spotted in New York City in a flash of lilac nylon. France, who serves as the style expert on Netflix's "Queer Eye," among other gigs, brought a pop of color to an otherwise muted ensemble with some statement hosiery. And while his tights were opaque, they were a clear marker of what could be next in fashion.

Rival generals are battling for control in Sudan. A simple guide to the fighting

Fierce fighting across Sudan has left hopes for a peaceful transition to civilian rule in tatters.

Kylian Mbappé becomes Paris Saint-Germain's all-time top scorer in Ligue 1

Kylian Mbappé has already achieved much in his young career. The 24-year-old has won a World Cup, scored a hattrick in a World Cup final and is captain of France.

A woman's body was found in a bag at an abandoned bus stop. Malaysian police are investigating

Police in Malaysia say they are investigating the death of a woman whose decomposing body was discovered in a travel bag at an abandoned bus station.

Europe's migration policies in chaos as arrivals surge

As a boat carrying 400 migrants drifted, out of fuel, along a perilous migration route in the central Mediterranean last week, Italian authorities led a major rescue operation following the reported refusal of Maltese authorities to retrieve those on board.

Japan's Kishida vows maximum security for G7, day after explosive thrown at him

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed on Sunday to keep world leaders safe during G7 meetings in the country, a day after a man threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at him during a campaign speech.

At least 25 killed, 183 injured in ongoing clashes across Sudan as paramilitary group claims control of presidential palace

At least 25 people were killed and 183 others injured in ongoing clashes across Sudan, the Sudanese Central Medical Committee told CNN on Saturday.

Top French court backs unpopular plans to raise retirement age to 64

France's top court on Friday approved the government's unpopular plans to raise the age of retirement, in a huge win for President Emmanuel Macron in the face of mass protests across the country.

Man arrested after explosion prompts evacuation of Japanese leader Fumio Kishida from speech venue

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed Saturday after an explosion at a venue where he was giving an outdoor speech.

Guru Indrajeet Keisham’s mission: Learn music, perform music save music

Guru Indrajeet Keisham’s mission: Learn music, perform music save music

Hindustani music, like other forms of traditional Indian music and dance, could face extinction over the coming decades. Already, many Hindustani musical instruments find no players, proving the late maestro’, music director Naushad’s prediction true. Obviously, this is happening because of the times we live in, the electronic era, where music can be ‘sampled’ and then played according to the requirements, with the help of a computer. Each instrument can be replicated. Side by side, the role of music in Hindustani films is diminishing, with many films having just a couple of songs, and some not including them at all. That is where Guru Indrajeet Keisham’s IKSA comes in.

Yesterday, on the back of six such evenings, eleven students, a full team, of IKSA performed film songs at the Nehru Centre auditorium, Worli, Mumbai, under the tutelage of Guru Indrajeet Keisham Singh, accompanied by nine proficient musicians, from films released during 1951 to 1995. There were 44 songs listed, which would take over four hours to render, but the organisers cleverly picked only parts (mukhdas, antras), to keep within a time limit. The programme still lasted over four hours, but that was because the VIP guests were asked to come on stage, once the IKSA members’ singing was over, and they spoke as well as performed.

All eleven IKSA singers were students of Guru Indrajeet, and were at various levels of learning. A couple of them had reached the visharad (a diploma/degree) stage, and, quite naturally, they drew the maximum applause. A curious element of the choice of songs was the sparsity of songs by Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi and Manna Dey. But they did set off the proceedings with a Mukesh-Shankar-Jaikishan number, ‘Jaaney kahaan gaye voh din’ from Mera Naam Joker, and, towards the end, there was a duet from Milan, ‘Saavan ka maheena’ (Mukesh-Lata-Laxmikant Pyarelal). A Rafi song came late in the day, one that he had sung for Rajesh Khanna, in The Train, ‘Gulaabee aanken’ (Rahul Dev Burman). And to end the session, they picked that masterpiece from Hanste Zakhm, ‘Tum jo mil gaye ho’, by Mohammed Rafi, under the baton of Madan Mohan. In all, they showcased the talent of 10 singers, 16 music directors and 20 lyricists who adorned the Hindustani film industry, over the decades.

As they came along and were introduced, we found that most of the singers are from the upper echelons of society, and the women have been able to pursue their hobby with the support of in-laws and their children. None of them would be interested in making singing a full-time profession or making it a profitable venture. It is a hobby and a passion, pure and simple. IKSA is derived from the initials of Indrajeet Keisham Singh but stands for ‘all are equal’. In Urdu, ik sa would mean ‘similar’, close to saying all are equal.

A product of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan music school, Indrajeet Keisham Singh found himself stranded on an ‘island’ nearly forty years ago. There was no teacher to teach him. He waited patiently for a whole year, before the school could get Guru Sudhindra Bhaumik to migrate to Mumbai. Bhaumik was present on the occasion to give blessings to his pupil, Indrajeet Keisham Singh, who had now become a revered teacher in his own right, though his looks belie his age. Around the same time, a young lad from the Bihar-Nepal border came to Mumbai to learn music at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, nursing ambitions of becoming a playback singer. His name was Udit Narayan. That is where I first met him. We later met a few times in the HMV recording studios when he was recording a bhajan album. Udit was delighted that he had sung a duet with Mohammed Rafi, his idol. Of course, the Udit Narayan show that I compered in the Donald Trump Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1995, remains my fondest memory.

Around seven years ago, Indrajeet Keisham realised that merely teaching is not enough. Something needs to be done to protect and preserve Hindustani music. He chose the simplest form – Hindustani film music – to attract interest and crowds. “Just as Jagjit Singh brought the ghazal to the common man, who did not have to search for meanings of its chaste Urdu words, film music has been doing great service to the cause of Hindustani music.” He beseeched the audience to take the leaflet about IKSA that was distributed on the occasion, read it, and pass it on. As a sample of his training and prowess, he sang just one song that sounded flawless to my untrained ears. Even his pronunciation of Urdu words was correct, a rarity. And he has now taken another laudable step: IKSA Relief Fund. Through this initiative, IKSA will provide financial assistance to senior Hindustani film artistes, who have fallen on bad times.

Reminiscing about his own bad times, guest Udit Narayan recalled how Indrajeet would help him when he was dead broke. Udit also obliged the audience by singing several songs. Among the other VIPs present was lyricist Prasoon Joshi. Joshi gave his blessings and narrated a poem, which was like a film song. Udit lamented that one song of Prasoon that he had sung had been re-recorded with another singer. Actress Bindu stressed the value of music and mentioned that some doctors actually have music on while performing operations. She had seen this for herself when she had been operated upon. Also present were music director Daboo Malik and Subhashchandra (Chairman of the ZEE Group).

Guru Sudhindra Bhaumik (seated), Bindu, Udit Narayan and Prasoon Joshi

A special word for the compère, Payal Shah. She belongs to the rare breed who, even if they have made notes and memorised them, sound spontaneous and extempore. And several special words for the musicians. There were nine of them. Sometimes they did not stick to the original and played the opening or interlude music as variations on a theme. Yet, this did not detract from the song, and, in fact, added to the impact. Occasionally, when some singer went too fast or too slow, they were able to match the tempo in a flash. Obviously, they must have been hand-picked by Guru Indrajeet Keisham. The acoustics gave no cause for complain.

IKSA and Guru Indrajeet Keisham have crossed seven milestones of performances. That is symbolic, in itself, because music has seven surs. He and his team are full of ambition, and we will watch their progress.

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'A new era': Germany quits nuclear power, closing its final three plants

Germany's final three nuclear power plants close their doors on Saturday, marking the end of the country's nuclear era that has spanned more than six decades.

On one of the world's most dangerous migrant routes, a cartel makes millions off the American dream

There is always a crowd, but it can feel very lonely.

US 'disappointed' by Chinese court's decision to uphold death sentence for American citizen

The US State Department said Thursday it is "disappointed" by a Chinese court's decision to uphold the death sentence for American citizen Mark Swidan and called for his immediate release.

Iran executions up 75% as Tehran seeks to 'instill fear' in protesters, rights groups say

Iran executed at least 582 people last year, a 75% increase on the previous year, according to human rights groups who say the rise reflects an effort by Tehran to "instill fear" among anti-regime protesters.

Tibetan leader defends Dalai Lama after 'suck my tongue' request to boy

The head of the Tibetan government-in-exile has defended the Dalai Lama over a video in which the spiritual leader kisses a child on the lips and then asks him to "suck my tongue."

'I was up to my waist down a hippo's throat.' He survived, and here's his advice

Paul Templer was living his best life.

Nicaragua expels two nuns in latest crackdown on Catholic church and opposition

Two nuns who worked at a nursing home in Nicaragua were expelled from the country this week, amid a far-reaching crackdown on opposition leaders, journalists and the Catholic church by the government of President Daniel Ortega.

Seven-fold increase in children crossing treacherous Darien Gap, says UNICEF

Almost 9,700 children and adolescents have tried to cross the infamous Darien Gap in the first two months of 2023, a seven-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022, according to a UNICEF report.

Mexico investigates migration chief over deadly fire in detention center

Mexican authorities are investigating the head of the country's immigration agency, in the wake of last month's deadly fire in a migrant detention center that killed at least 38 people and left dozens injured.

Brazil-China dealmaking sends a message to Washington

As Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrives in China today, his visit marks Brazil's return to the diplomatic stage among the Global South -- but also reveals a growing distance from geopolitical questions preoccupying the West.

IMF: Banking crisis boosts risks and dims outlook for world economy

At the start of the year, economists and corporate leaders expressed optimism that global economic growth might not slow down as much as they had feared. Positive developments included China's reopening, signs of resilience in Europe and falling energy prices.

Leaked Pentagon documents provide snapshot of US intelligence officials watching China

A set of highly classified Pentagon documents that leaked online in recent weeks in an apparent major security breach reveal American intelligence gathering on its key partners, adversaries and competitors -- including China.

Japan to develop long-range missiles as tensions with China rise

Japan on Tuesday announced plans to develop and build an array of advanced long-range missiles as it bolsters its defenses amid increasing tensions with neighboring China.

Cyclone Ilsa gathering strength off Western Australia

A major cyclone is intensifying off the coast of Western Australia with warnings that it could be the most powerful storm to make landfall in the area in more than a decade.

Colombian women's rights activist attacked with acid

Colombian police are investigating an acid attack perpetrated against a human rights activist, Lilia Patricia Cardozo, in the country's northwestern Boyaca region, according to the city's council.

Military exercises suggest China is getting 'ready to launch a war against Taiwan,' Taiwanese foreign minister tells CNN

One day after China simulated "joint precision strikes" on Taiwan during military exercises around the island, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu condemned Beijing's actions in an exclusive interview with CNN and warned that "they seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan."

A little-known drug brought billions to Syria's coffers. Now it's a bargaining chip

A highly addictive drug that became Syria's economic lifeline over a decade of isolation may now be serving as a bargaining chip as it tries to normalize ties with neighboring states, analysts say.

What happened when a couple bought an abandoned 'ghost house' in the Japanese countryside

He'd spent years backpacking around the world, and Japanese traveler Daisuke Kajiyama was finally ready to return home to pursue his long-held dream of opening up a guesthouse.

Around 100 people killed after Myanmar junta attack on village, shadow government says

Around 100 people, including women and children, have been killed after Myanmar's military junta bombed the Kant Balu township in the Sagaing region on Tuesday, according to the shadow government of the ousted administration.

Italian Coast Guard escorting 1,200 migrants on boats in Mediterranean Sea

The Italian Coast Guard is escorting a boat carrying 400 migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the volunteer-run service Alarm Phone, which received the boat's distress call on Sunday.

Wall Street says bad news is no longer good news. Here's why

There's been a seismic shift in investor perspective: Bad news is no longer good news.

China appears to simulate first aircraft carrier strike on Taiwan

For the first time, the Chinese navy appears to have simulated strikes by aircraft carrier-based warplanes on Taiwan, as military drills around the island entered their third day.

Boat carrying 400 migrants adrift in Mediterranean sea for at least 24 hours

A boat carrying around 400 migrants is adrift in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Malta, and is at risk of capsizing after being stranded for at least 24 hours, along an immigration route that NGOs have warned is perilously dangerous.

'Biden ate our chips': Ireland prepares for a presidential homecoming

Lauren and Emily Blewitt may have been in preschool at the time, but they were old enough to know that then-Vice President Joe Biden had committed a serious breach of mealtime etiquette. "He was just eating our chips!" Lauren, 10, says -- a mixture of delight and outrage crossing her face.

Two prominent Chinese civil rights lawyers jailed for more than a decade for subversion

Lawyer Xu Zhiyong has spent nearly two decades fighting for human rights in China, and on Monday he was handed one of the longest prison sentences ever issued for civil activism under Xi Jinping's crackdown on dissent.

US Navy sails near South China Sea island militarized by China

The US Navy has sent a destroyer close to a contested island in the South China Sea that Beijing has fortified with military installations to stake its territorial claims on the region.

Submissions for 5th Annual French Riviera Film Festival, A Celebration of Short Films, Close on April 11, 2023

The Final Submission Deadline for The 5th Annual French Riviera Film Festival will close on April 11, 2023

Submit now on Film Freeway by April 11, 2023 at: https://filmfreeway.com/frenchrivierafilmfestival

The fifth installment of the festival will take place once again at the Eden Hotel & Spa in Cannes, France during the time of the Festival de Cannes on May 19 and 20, 2023. The annual festival celebrates short film and short-form content from around the globe and features the works of filmmakers from more than 20 countries in the categories of drama, comedy, documentary, sci-fi/horror, animation, experimental, music video, lifestyle/fashion, microshort and experimental.

The 2023 edition will be a hybrid event, with finalist films being available to view worldwide via the Sparq platform, the festival’s official streaming partner.  https://frff.sparqfest.live  FRFF will also feature the sixth annual Global Entertainment Showcase, scheduled for May 2o, 2023. More details to be announced soon.

Event partners include Bel-Air Fine Art,  Chateau de Berne, filmfestivals.com, The Good Gin, Cardinal du Four Armagnac, Just Cinema, and Sparq.

 

 

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Up to 10 people trapped after building collapses in Marseille

Between four and 10 people are believed to be trapped under rubble in the southern French port city of Marseilles after a building collapsed early on Sunday, according to French authorities.

Toxic fume warning after fire breaks out at Hamburg warehouse

Residents in the German city of Hamburg have been warned of heavy smoke and possible toxins in the air after a major fire broke out at a warehouse.

At least 44 killed in Burkina Faso attacks

At least 44 civilians were killed in two separate attacks on villages in northern Burkina Faso, authorities there said.

Elderly Ukrainians and pets stay put in the abandoned east

"God protects me," says 73-year-old Tamara. She's one of the few people who have stayed in the town of Konstantinivka, eastern Ukraine.

Northern Ireland's 'peace babies' say sectarianism lives on, thwarting progress

Cori Conlon grew up thinking Protestants were "the bad guys."

China jails man who scared chickens to death

There's an old Chinese saying that goes: "Kill the chicken to scare the monkey."

Iran installs cameras to ID women breaking dress code

Iranian authorities are to use cameras in public places to identify women who violate the country's hijab law, state media reported.

Italian tourist killed in Israel car-ramming attack

An Italian tourist was killed and seven people wounded in a car-ramming attack in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Friday evening.

Glut of cheap Ukrainian grain sparks farmers' protests

Farmers in central and eastern Europe protested this week against the impact of cheap Ukrainian grain imports, which have undercut domestic prices and hit the sales of local producers.

China military rehearses 'encircling' Taiwan after US Speaker visit

• DOJ opens investigation into leaks of apparent classified US military documents • Analysis: As the Ukraine war grinds on, the EU finds it needs China more than ever

Zelensky shares Iftar with Muslim soldiers in 'new tradition of respect'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared Iftar with Ukrainian Muslim soldiers observing Ramadan on Friday, in what he said would become an annual "new tradition of respect."

Russia charges Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich with espionage

Russian investigators have formally charged Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich with espionage, Russian state media reported Friday, adding he denied the accusations. 

China sanctions US organizations for hosting Taiwan leader during stopover

China has slapped sanctions on two American organizations that hosted Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen during her recent travel in the United States, which Beijing had fiercely condemned.

The giant Antonov An-225 plane was destroyed in Russia's invasion. But Ukraine says it will fly again

The sheared nose cone of the Antonov An-225 cargo plane towers over Yevhen Bashynsky.

What is the Good Friday Agreement? How a historic deal ended the Troubles in Northern Ireland

US President Joe Biden will visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, next week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), a peace deal that brought an end to decades of sectarian violence on the island of Ireland known as "the Troubles." 

What happened when a couple bought an abandoned 'ghost house' in the Japanese countryside

He'd spent years backpacking around the world, and Japanese traveler Daisuke Kajiyama was finally ready to return home to pursue his long-held dream of opening up a guesthouse.

Samsung to cut chip production after posting lowest profit in 14 years

Samsung Electronics said on Friday it would make a "meaningful" cut to chip production after flagging a worse-than-expected 96% plunge in quarterly operating profit, as a sharp downturn in the global semiconductor market worsens.

Japan is running out of space to bury chickens culled over bird flu

Japan has lost so many chickens to bird flu, it's now running out of land to bury them.

Saudi Arabia and Iran agree to reopen embassies during Beijing talks on resumption of diplomatic ties

Saudi Arabia's and Iran's Foreign Ministers met in Beijing on Thursday to discuss the resumption of bilateral relations following a landmark agreement mediated by China last month.

Male Afghan UN workers stay home in solidarity after Taliban bans female staff

Afghan men working for the United Nations in Kabul will stay home in solidarity with their female colleagues after the Taliban prohibited Afghan women from working for the global organization, according to a senior UN official.

New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern gives rousing farewell speech: 'You can lead. Just like me'

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said farewell to politics Wednesday with a rousing speech that assured other nerds, criers, and huggers that they too could one day lead.

Smoke from forest fires blankets northern Thailand in thick pollution

Smoke from fires in northern Thailand is making it hard to breathe, and at least one hospital in Chiang Mai says it's reached "full ward capacity" as people present with respiratory issues from breathing air pollution.

A sunken oil tanker is threatening biodiversity in the Philippines. And it could take months to contain

A slow moving environmental catastrophe is unfolding in a marine ecosystem home to some of the world's rarest species, including the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, as well as whale sharks, giant manta rays and dugongs.

Clashes erupt inside the al-Aqsa mosque after Israeli forces enter

Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City early on Wednesday, just days after a Palestinian man was killed outside the holy site.

Opinion: Why did we ever think scooters were a good idea?

The people of Paris have spoken loud and clear: get electric scooters off of our streets.

Tunisian president's mystery 'disappearance' raises questions about his health

Tunisian President Kais Saied's almost two-week absence has raised questions about his health and succession in a country that has become increasingly authoritarian since he took power.

Man sentenced for abducting girl from family's tent at remote Australian campsite

A man who admitted abducting a four-year-old girl from a remote campsite in Western Australia and holding her for 18 days during a massive police search has been sentenced to 13 years and 6 months in prison.

New York: Doc Fortnight 2023

Considered a mandatory festival event for innovative and provocative documentaries, the annual Doc Fortnight was presented again from February 22 to March 7 this year by the Museum of Modern Art.  The program included 15 feature and 8 short films. As in past editions, the festival included U.S. and international films reflecting current socio-political changes and ruptures, embracing new production approaches, and the visual analysis of themes not covered before. Many selections premiered in the USA and were new to the MoMA audience. CHANEL has been the lead sponsor of film at MoMA since 2020 and provided principal support for DOC Fortnight 2023.

Among the striking films in the 2023 program was RED AFRICA (Krasnaya Africa), an innovative 2022 Russia Portugal co-production scripted and directed by Alexander Markov. Markov presents African and some USSR work of Soviet filmmakers from 1957 – 1990 in a rare and comprehensive assembly that exposes audiences to their visual perspectives. Western colonial powers were leaving Africa and opened gates to the influence, ideology, and official positive self-image of the Soviet Union. Behind the perspective of Soviet filmmakers was the shared conviction of officials in communist countries that visual media has a powerful impact on the audience, guided by the agitation and propaganda (agitprop) policy. The segments from documentaries and newsreels which Markov chose were shown to the Russian audiences and transmitted in African countries. The agitprop carried only messages supporting the Soviet Union and its achievements. The range of themes covered Soviet agricultural, industrial, and consumer products, as well as Soviet fashion and culture.  Much of the footage was devoted to encounters between high ranking African and Soviet officials and the demonstration of how knowledge and technical expertise acquired by students from African and other third world countries could be applied by them at home. There is virtually no footage about the turmoil experienced in the USSR over 30 + years, except for brief sequences from 1990 about demonstrations for autonomy from former Soviet republics.

While the agitprop films hide Soviet colonial aspirations under the claim of a humanistic development services, the documentary LA BONGA provides a persuasive account of lasting attachment to the homes people were forced to leave 20 years earlier in Columbia. Directors Sebastián Pinzón Silva and Canela Reyes documentary excels in its quiet and unhurried approach. Reyes’ training in anthropology and literature is on display. LA BONGA focuses on the forced dispossession of an indigenous Afro-Colombian farming community located in the jungle. This dislocation mirrored the destruction of many similar communities in other central and Latin American countries which was often carried out with the backing of governmental agencies. LA BONGA does not elaborate at length on the process of neo-colonialism but instead focuses on the long arduous march of the survivors and descendants of the La Bonga settlements to their old home; and on the stories they shared of their past experience.  Over 20 years the jungle had recuperated the land they once cultivated and few relics remained. After arrival, they restored a small area to have space for celebrating their Bonga culture with guests. What is striking is the persistence of memory and the power of oral traditions outlasting speculators and prospective settlers.

 

Claus Mueller filmexchange@gmail.com

 

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Syrian refugee elected mayor of German town, years after fleeing war

A Syrian who arrived in Germany as a refugee in 2015 has won a mayoral election in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg.

A 106-year-old has become Vogue's oldest ever cover model

Vogue Philippines has revealed Apo Whang-Od as the cover star of its April issue, a move that makes the 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.

Dior stages spectacular runway show in India

Dior hosted a landmark runway show in Mumbai on Thursday, a move nodding both to India's long-standing role in manufacturing European high fashion and the growing power of its luxury consumers.

Malaysia scraps mandatory death penalty, natural-life prison terms

Malaysia's parliament on Monday passed sweeping legal reforms to remove the mandatory death penalty, trim the number of offenses punishable by death, and abolish natural-life prison sentences, a move cautiously welcomed by rights groups.

Australia bans TikTok on federal government devices

Australia has joined other countries in banning the use of TikTok on devices used by federal departments and agencies.

Chinese spy balloon was able to transmit information back to Beijing

• McCarthy to meet with Taiwan's president in California on Wednesday

Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin concedes election

Finland's left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin conceded defeat on Sunday in the Nordic country's parliamentary election as the opposition right-wing National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory in a tightly fought contest.

Erdogan's political fate may be determined by Turkey's Kurds

Turkey's persecuted pro-Kurdish party has emerged as a kingmaker in the country's upcoming election, playing a decisive role that may just tip the balance enough to unseat two-decade ruler Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

This is one of the worst times to buy a car in decades. Here's why

It has almost never been as hard to buy a new or used car in the United States as it is today, despite improving supply issues and inflation beginning to steady.

Experts: this is the best cash back card of 2022

Police investigating reports of Liverpool bus attack after Manchester City match

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is investigating reports that Liverpool's team bus was damaged after the club's English Premier League match against Manchester City, the police force said in a statement.

Sex workers in Amsterdam are protesting new rules in the red-light district

'This is a social emergency': Thousands protest in Portugal over housing crisis

Thousands of people took to the streets of Lisbon and other cities across Portugal on Saturday in protest against soaring rents and house prices at a time when high inflation is making it even tougher for people to make ends meet.

Two flight attendants file lawsuit, claim they were assaulted by former Lebanese PM Saad Hariri

Two flight attendants claim they were sexually assaulted by then Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri aboard his private plane, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in New York.

The fatal mauling of 4-year-old forces India to grapple with stray dog problem

For nearly a minute, the 4-year-old boy attempts to valiantly escape the hungry pack of stray dogs as they circle around him.

Climate activists pour black liquid into popular Italian fountain

A group called Ultima Generazione or Last Generation have poured what they described as a charcoal-based black liquid into the water of the Barcaccia fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps in central Rome.

8 bodies discovered by police and Canadian Coast Guard in a Mohawk Nation territory near US border

Police in Canada said Friday they have recovered eight bodies in Akwesasne, the Mohawk Nation territory that straddles the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario along the banks of the St. Lawrence River.

13 killed in crush while waiting for food donations in Pakistan's Karachi

At least 13 people were killed and 10 others injured Friday in a crush among people waiting for Ramadan food donations in Pakistan's largest city Karachi, local police said.