Renowned Egyptian pianist and composer Omar Khairat and his orchestra will conclude the 28th Citadel Festival for Music and Singing with a concert on Sunday 1 September. One of the most popular and celebrated contemporary composers in the region, Khairat has composed the scores for over 50 Egyptian films, including The Sixth Day (1984), The Terrorist (1993), Mafia (2002), Girl s Love (2003), The Embassy in the Building (2005) and Deer s Blood (2006). In television, his memorable works include Lailat El-Qabd Ala Fatma (1984) and Dameer Abla Hekmat (1991). Khairat, 70, also composes music for theatre and special ceremonies, such as the opening of important Egyptian and regional cultural festivals. Khairat has also arranged compositions by celebrated Egyptian musician Mohamed Abdel-Wahab, releasing them as Wahabiat 1 and 2. His arrangements of Oum Kalthoum s songs have also brought him acclaim. Organized by the Ministry of Culture, 45 concerts is being held at the 28th Citadel Festival for Music and Singing between 18 August and 1 September hosting three concerts everyday at the historical venue. Cairo Steps, Massar Egbari, Nesma Abdel Aziz, Ali El-Haggar, Hani Shaker, Medhat Saleh, Dina El-Wedidi and Ghalia Ben Ali were among the performers at the event that is also hoting performances from Algeria, China, Namibian and Venezuela.

From matcha ice cream to cake and chocolate, producers of traditional Japanese green tea are capitalizing on growing global interest in its flavor — even as demand for the drink declines at home. At Shigehiko Suzuki s tea shop in central Japan, adorned with a traditional “noren” drape, the customers are flooding in but more to scoop up gelato or cake than to sip the bright-green tea. In 1998, Suzuki s company Marushichi Seicha started making powdered matcha green tea — traditionally made using a bamboo whisk in a tiny room. The firm now exports 30 tonnes of green tea to the US, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. “The demand for matcha is rapidly growing in the world… There s demand for ice cream, desserts and coffee,” Suzuki told AFP at his shop in Fujieda, 170 kilometers (105 miles) southwest of Tokyo. Japan exported more than 5,000 tonnes of green tea — mainly to the United States — last year, 10 times more than two decades ago. But in Japan, the consumption of green tea leaves for drinking dropped from 1,174 grammes per household in 2001 to 844 grammes in 2015, according to the latest government data — a trend Suzuki puts down to a more westernized diet. “The number of Japanese who regularly drink tea is decreasing while there are more Japanese who enjoy various kinds of food, so tea doesn t sell like before,” said the 55-year-old. Japanese traditionally drink green tea with rice but are doing so less as the diet becomes less dependent on the grain. Sensing the shift, Suzuki branched into matcha-flavoured ice cream nine years ago, opening a shop where customers can choose gelato from seven levels of bitterness. It became so popular, he opened two stores in Tokyo and one in Kyoto, matcha s traditional home. Not many successors Tea growers like 67-year-old Yoshio Shoji are also jumping on the bandwagon to grow matcha leaves — as they command a higher price than “sencha”, needle-shaped leaves used to make the traditional Japanese drink. The matcha leaves sell for 3,100 yen ($30) per kilo on average, compared to 1,400 yen for sencha, according to the Japanese Association of Tea Production. But Shoji said tea fields are shrinking as farmers get too old for the physically demanding work. “The oldest one is over 80. There are not many successors,” he told AFP as he gazed out over his tea fields on the mountain slopes. “The tea price is dwindling and the work is tough.” Tea leaves were first brought from China to Japan in the early ninth century and the tea was treated more as a medicine at that time. Matcha developed in 16th-century Kyoto when tea master Sen no Rikyu established the traditional tea ceremony known as “chanoyu.” Sencha was invented two centuries later and its manufacturing method spread quickly. Now, sencha accounts for half of 80,242 tonnes of green tea produced annually in Japan, compared to 3.3 percent for matcha tea leaves — although production of the latter is growing. Unfashionable Traditional Japanese tea also suffers from something of an image problem, argues Suzuki, as it is considered the preserve of older generations. “It is mainly the over-60s who drink tea. The younger people are, the more they drink coffee… Tea is no longer attractive to customers. Our priority is to boost its appeal,” he said. Some tea rooms are trying to modernize the traditional drink to pull in younger punters. At Tokyo Saryo, a stark-white zen-style space in a quiet neighborhood, “barista” Yuka Ihara brews Japanese tea in special glass cups. “There s the cultural tea ceremony and practical bottled tea. But something in-between, like a cafe where customers can enjoy tea in comfortable surroundings, didn t really exist before,” Ihara said. “It s important to come up with new ways to present and taste tea, as well as new recipes to let people rediscover the value of Japanese tea.” Mikito Tanimoto, creative director who founded Tokyo Saryo in 2017, said Japanese tea is regarded as “unfashionable.” “But we can make it more cool.” But despite these innovative efforts, there is widespread skepticism that the decline can be stemmed. “The Japanese sell kimonos and tea ceremonies — the cultural side — overseas but in the meantime, farmers are crying” because they cannot survive, said Stephane Danton, the French owner of a Japanese tea shop in Tokyo. Danton infuses green tea with various flavors from mango to plum to cater to the palate of foreigners not used to the bitterness of Japanese tea. And while Suzuki has enjoyed some success in expanding his matcha products, he doubts whether the industry can be saved given intense global competition. “As matcha is popular around the world, it s now made everywhere in the world. Japan is no longer the only country making it. We ll face global competition.”

On Monday 26 August, El-Gouna Film Festival (GFF) held a press conference at the Ritz Carlton Hotel announcing the launch of its third edition that will run through 19-27 September. This edition will be attended by festival founder Naguib Sawiris, El-Gouna founder Samih Sawiris, CEO and co-founder of the festival Amr Mansi, COO and festival co-founder Bushra Abdallah Rozza, CFO and festival co-founder Kamal Zadeh, CEO of Orascom Development Holding Khaled Bichara, and festival director Intishal Al-Timimi. The festival aims at showcasing a wide variety of films from around the globe, it also seeks cooperation and cultural exchange through connecting filmmakers from the region with their international counterparts through the CineGouna Platform to help Arab filmmakers find artistic and financial support. The festival comprises three official competitions; the Feature Narrative Competition, the Feature Documentary Competition and the Short Film Competition, in addition to the Official Selection Out of Competition and Special Presentations with a total of 80 films in the festival. In the third edition, CineGouna SpringBoard received 133 submissions (92 projects in development and 41 films in post-production), and like every year the CineGouna Bridge will present roundtable discussions, workshops, presentations and master classes with key industry professionals and experts on a wide range of subjects related to the social and business aspects of cinema. Engineer Naguib Sawiris said, "The festival is now an accomplished event around the world despite being only three years old. It has embraced the film scene and its key players. El-Gouna has become a platform that allows civilisations to get closer and dialogue through the exchange of arts and culture.” "Since its inception in 2017, the festival has rapidly built success as one of the leading cultural events in the region.” Engineer Samih Sawiris said, “With Orascom Development s relentless efforts to make El-Gouna a cultural and artistic hub, we are pleased to announce the construction of El-Gouna Convention and Culture Center,” announcing that a new building will host the fourth edition of the festival as well as major orchestras from around the world. COO and co-founder of the festival Bushra Abdallah Rozza said, "One of the names that will be honoured this year is a leading figure of the comedy genre and one of the most influential of his generation, Mohamed Henedy," who will receive GFF Career Achievement Award. "Usually festivals don t honour comedians despite the fact that the comedy genre is very influential in the box office," she said. Festival director Intishal Al-Timimi said, "The GFF will grant the Creative Achievement Award to the acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker Mai Masri alongside the Egyptian star Mohamed Henedy." This year, 12 films are participating in the Feature Narrative Competition, nine films in the Feature Documentary Competition, 23 films in the Short Film Competition, as well as three films in GFF s Special Presentations programme. The festival will be screening 21 films in its Out of Competition section, which brings the present total count to 68 confirmed titles. The Official Selection Out of Competition includes; Parasite, winner of the Palme d Or at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, Bacurau and Les Misérables, the joint winners of the Jury Prize at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival; Once in Trubchevsk, which was part of the Un Certain Regard section of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival; Pedro Almodóvar s latest film Pain and Glory starring Antonio Banderas, who was awarded Best Actor at the 72ndCannes Film Festival; and acclaimed filmmaker Karim Aïnouz s latest film The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão, winner of the Un Certain Regard Prize at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival. The jury of the Feature Narrative Competition will include Egyptian film star Sawsan Badr, while the Feature Documentary jury will include Egyptian costume designer Nahed Nasrallah. Film director Marwan Hamed will head the Short Film Competition jury, with Tunisian star Dorra Zarrouk. Celebrating the centennial birth of the late acclaimed Egyptian writer and journalist Ihsan Abdel-Quddous, the GFF will host an exhibition honouring his memory. The exhibition will include his handwritten notes of both fiction and journalistic pieces, representing a large collection of his works as well as certificates of appreciation, exquisite furniture, magnificent paintings, and rare photographs. In the official press release, Al-Timimi said, "This year, we will host retrospective screenings of some newly restored film classics, such as Stolen Kisses (1968) by French auteur François Truffaut and Caméra d Afrique (1983) by Tunisian director Férid Boughedir. Additionally, we have the Egyptian classic The Well of Deprivation (1969) by Kamal El Sheikh, celebrating the centennial of the birth of renowned Egyptian screenwriter and novelist Ihsan Abdel Quddous.” He also commented on the budget decrease in comparison to the first edition, saying, "Budget sustainability is one of GFF s main objectives. In spite of the expansion of the festival activities and programmes, we are not looking forward to having a bigger budget that turns into a burden. In the first edition, up to 85 percent of the budget was provided by the founders, the Sawiris family. In the second edition, however, they contributed 55 percent of the budget. This year, they are contributing around 45 to 50 percent. The rest of the budget is secured by the growing number of companies and entities that are very enthusiastic to be part of the event. “There is also a growing interest from the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, as well as other governmental entities, in the festival s activities, and they contribute with logistical support. In this edition, we received support from Orascom Development, Beltone Financial, O West, Orange, Euronews, Carrier, Makadi Heights, This is Egypt, Mercedes-Benz, SIXT, dstore, Concrete, Pepsi and Egypt Air. Generally speaking, there is a growing interest in supporting the festival by many new organisations."

Disney on Saturday released plans for a dozen upcoming movies, ranging from Marvel superhero films and Star Wars blockbusters to Pixar and Disney animations. Here is a run-through of everything newly announced at the D23 fan fest s movies panel in Anaheim, California: - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Lucasfilm is "hard at work" finishing an official new trailer, but unseen footage and a new poster showed Rey and Kylo Ren locked in a duel. The final seconds showed Rey wielding a red, double-sided lightsaber -- immediately dubbed "Sith Rey" online. Naomi Ackie and Keri Russell join the cast. - Black Panther 2 Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and returning "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler would not even confirm the hotly anticipated sequel s title, but did set a release date -- May 6, 2022. - The Eternals "Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington and "Crazy Rich Asians" actress Gemma Chan will join an ensemble cast already boasting Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek. Harington will play a "non-eternal." - Black Widow An extended version of last month s Comic-Con footage featuring Scarlett Johansson locked in a fight in a Budapest apartment was shown. New clips showed motorcycle chases, mountains and Rachel Weisz. - Jungle Cruise Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt rode into D23 on a riverboat and a vintage car to promote their live-action film based on Disney s theme park ride. In a good-humored takedown of alpha-male action heroes, Blunt introduced her own trailer telling the story from her character s perspective -- with Johnson s name in comically tiny font. - Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Michelle Pfeiffer and Chiwetel Ejiofor join the cast for the sequel to the live-action 2014 hit centered on Snow White s villain. A lengthy clip showed Aurora preparing to marry Prince Phillip -- leading to an extremely frosty dinner between her godmother Maleficent and his parents which quickly descends into conflict. - Mulan The panel for Disney s live-action remake was notable for the absence of Chinese-American star Liu Yifei, who triggered the #BoycottMulan movement with her criticism of Hong Kong protests. Film footage showed a young Mulan s disastrous meeting with a highly-strung matchmaker, before teasing fight scenes as she takes the place of her ailing father in the Imperial Army. - Cruella This live-action "101 Dalmatians" prequel will be set in "punk rock" 1970s London. Emma Stone sent a video from the British capital, where filming has begun, and shared a first image of herself in character sporting a Vivienne Westwood-esque shock of black and white hair. Emma Thompson joins the cast. - Soul Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey were announced as the lead voices of metaphysical jazz adventure "Soul." Prominent musicians including Jon Batiste and Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will feature in the film, where souls are trained at an otherworldly "You Seminar" before being dispatched to Earth. - Onward Julia-Louis Dreyfus was revealed as the mother of protagonists Ian and Barley. Tom Holland and Chris Pratt introduced footage setting out plot details of their characters botched quest to bring back their dead father with a magical spell in a faded fantasy world. - Raya and the Last Dragon Cassie Steele and Awkwafina lead the voice cast in this animated fantasy featuring the search for dragons in a fictional, Southeast Asian-inspired world. - Frozen 2 The sequel will explore where Elsa got her powers, and a mysterious past involving her parents. Evan Rachel Wood ("Westworld") and Sterling K. Brown ("This Is Us") join the cast, with original songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez returning. Footage showed flashbacks of sisters Elsa and Anna with their mother, an enchanted forest, and a new song for Elsa (Idina Menzel.)

Egypt s Media Syndicate announced on Saturday that it has banned controversial TV host Riham Saeed from appearing on TV for violating syndicate rules. In a statement, the syndicate added that since Saeed, host of the show “Sabaya al-Kheir”, is not a syndicate member she has been banned until she can sort out her legal situation. The syndicate s decision comes just a day after the Supreme Council for Media Regulation summoned Saeed for investigation regarding offensive remarks made against overweight people during her show. On the latest episode of her show on Wednesday, Saeed discussed obese people and decried them as a burden on the state. The remarks sparked outrage, with Saeed accused of seriously insulting overweight people, especially woman. The union informed the Public Prosecution against Saeed for practicing her profession without a license, a violation of the union s rules of registration. It also warned the Al-Hayat satellite channel to not air anyone unregistered in the syndicate. The Al-Hayat network said that it has suspended Saeed s show, responding to social media fury over her latest episode. The channel said in a statement that the suspension will continue until the conclusion of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation s investigation with Saeed, with the program s future situation to be determined. Al-Hayat stressed that it respects its audience and is committed to providing them with quality and appropriate content. Saeed has been suspended multiple times before. She was suspended for three months in August 2017 for hosting a married woman and her lover on her show, during which guests shared their story of infidelity. Saeed was also suspended for one month in 2016, after she stated that a woman had brought sexual harassment upon herself by wearing “inappropriate clothing.” Her show had earlier been suspended for one month in 2015 after Saeed ignited public fury for insensitive behavior towards an alleged victim of sexual harassment.

Amnesty International says Brazilian government failures are responsible for fires raging in the Amazon rainforest. The comment by the rights group on Thursday came after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro suggested some non-governmental groups could be setting the blazes in retaliation for losing state funds under his administration.

Christopher Stephens has haemophilia A - his body lacks a protein that makes blood clot. A simple graze can mean the two-year-old bleeds uncontrollably. To avoid this he needs treatment every few days with a drug put into his bloodstream via a tube in his chest. But now, NHS England has agreed to fund a new therapy for patients like him. It s a medication that can be given weekly or fortnightly as an injection just under the skin rather than into a vein. Emicizumab, marketed as Hemlibra, mimics the action of the missing protein, factor VIII. Mummy, don t hurt me Christopher s doctors are recommending he stay on his current factor-VIII treatment but consider switching to the new one when he is a bit older. Like other people with haemophilia A, he will need life-long treatment. His mother, Christy, 22, of Surrey, says: "Without treatment, there s the possibility that he could have multiple bleeds every week, every day. "He is quite an active boy, so he bumps his head quite often and obviously there s always the chance of brain bleeds, and bleeds anywhere really, without that factor VIII. "Christopher has severe haemophilia A. He has literally got no factor VIII in his body until we provide it to him." Christopher copes really well with having his treatment - but it can be difficult. "He s really good with it," Christy says. "He s not scared of things or worried. To him, he s a normal child. We try as much as possible to treat him like a normal child. But a couple of weeks ago, he was in hospital because he had a port infection[, where the tube enters his chest]. "And sometimes he ll say to me, Mummy, don t hurt me, when I m doing his injection and that just kills you as a parent." Trailblazing drugs Haemophilia A is a genetic condition most often inherited but can occur spontaneously and usually affects boys and men. Now, about 1,800 patients in England living with severe haemophilia A will potentially be able to have emicizumab. People with less severe forms of the condition (but who have stopped responding to conventional factor-VIII treatment) have been able to get Hemlibra on the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales since 2018. NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said: "Giving patients access to world-class, trailblazing drugs and therapies is a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan, which aims to save thousands more lives. "As a parent, I know that cuts and scrapes happen to kids all the time but for many families these routine accidents can be distressing and life-threatening, so this new treatment will change lives and lift a weight from thousands of parents." The Haemophilia Society chief executive Liz Carroll said: "This decision is fantastic news for our community. "Current treatments can require intravenous infusions multiple times a week which can place a significant burden on people with haemophilia and their carers. "This decision will mean that people will have the opportunity to have treatment less frequently without intravenous access, which will enable many to live their lives more freely.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that British actor, comedian and writer Russell Brand is in talks to join the crew of the upcoming “Death on The Nile” film next year, an adaptation of mystery author Agatha Christie s beloved classic set in Egypt. Published in 1937, the novel revolves around Hercule Poirot, a detective whose plan to visit Egypt to relax on a Nile cruise is dramatically interrupted by murder. Poirot must investigate the death of a newlywed found shot in the head while spending her honeymoon in Cairo. Brand is known for his roles in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (2008), “Get Him to the Greek” (2010), “Rock of Ages” (2012) and “Army of One” (2016). Screen-written by Michael Green, “Death on the Nile” follows 2017 s “Murder on the Orient Express” directed by Kenneth Branagh, who will be returning to direct the second film and also star as Poirot. Other cast members in the upcoming film include Wonder Woman s Gal Godot and Armie Hammer, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The movie is scheduled for a December 20, 2020 release. “Death on the Nile” was previously adapted in 1978, starring Peter Ustinov who played Detective Poirot alongside a crew that included Bette Davis, Mia Farrow and Maggie Smith, according to The Pioneer.

Renowned Lebanese singer Elissa, 45, revealed that her next album will also be her last. On her twitter account, Elissa broke the news to her fanbase with a heavy heart: “I am preparing this new album with a lot of love and passion. The reason is that it will be the last one in my career. I am announcing this with a heavy heart but with a lot of conviction because I can t work in a field that is similar to mafias. I can t be productive anymore.” The singer has recently recovered from a battle with breast cancer, which she revealed in a music video released on August 2018 titled “Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni” (For all those who love me)” At the end of the video, Elissa said “I ve recovered. I ve beaten the illness, and I won. Early detection of breast cancer can save your life. Don t ignore it, face it. Do it not only for yourself, but for your loved ones.” Elissa s musical career began in 1992, when she won the silver medal in Studio El Fan music competition according to her Facebook official page. In 2002, she won the Murex d Or award for Best Female Artist. In 2010, she was garnered the Best Arab Female Artist in the Jordan Music Awards and the Big Apple Music Award for the Best Female Artist in the Middle East. Among her most renowned albums are “Ayshalak”, “Bastanak”, “Ayami Beek” and “Asaad Wahdaand Saharna Ya Lail”.

Egyptian singer and actor Khaled Selim will give a concert at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on Monday 19 August as part of the 17th International Summer Festival at the Bibliotheca. The concert is being held three days after another appearance by the pop artist at the Damanhour Opera House on Friday. Born in Kuwait but currently living in Egypt, the 43-year-old Selim, who gained his fame with Eish (Live), the theme song of El-Sellem W El-Te ban almost two decades ago, has produced several popular albums in addition to starring in various films and TV series. Organised by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina s Art Center, the festival includes a variety of art activities like music concerts, theatre plays, film screenings, poetry, and stand-up comedy, in addition to a series of workshops and lectures on various aspects of art.

The 10th edition of the Beirut Art Fair (BAF) will be held 18-22 September under the patronage of Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri, announced Laure d Hauteville, the BAF s founder and director. D Hauteville together with Joanna Abou Sleiman-Chevalier, artistic director for the BAF, Marie-Mathilde Gannat, VIP coordinator, and Marie Tomb, editorial director, unveiled the fair s programme during a press conference recently held in Beirut. A revealing event in the Middle East, the BAF acts as a catalyst for the artistic and cultural life for Lebanon. D Hauteville reaffirmed the fair s commitment to the discovery of the contemporary art scene, both regional and international. The event also wishes, for this anniversary, to pay tribute to Lebanon through exhibitions of exceptional works from Lebanese private collections. Lynn Tehini, representing Mohammad Daoud, Lebanon s minister of culture, said that “The BAF enjoys a great prestige and is considered a significant event for the cultural, touristic and economic scene of the country. The fair is one of the pillars of the promotion of Lebanon on the international scene of contemporary art. The ministry actively supports BAF and we are proud to celebrate together its tenth anniversary.” D Hauteville reiterated her commitment to promoting openness to innovation by relying on a reinvigoration of artistic programmes and setting new trends. She reaffirmed the core values of the fair: freedom of expression, dialogue of cultures and tolerance. "BAF remains more than ever committed to breaking not only artistic walls, but also interpersonal, psychological and social ones. The fair will present various artistic experiences in parallel with what the galleries stand for — a spirit of openness and innovation." With 50 renowned Lebanese and international galleries showcasing emerging artists alongside recognised talents, BAF confirms its image as a cultural incubator. Coming from 18 countries, it will reflect the rising scene of regional and international contemporary art. Abou Sleiman-Chevalier explained that “The BAF is devoted to discovering the young contemporary art scene, and rediscovering artists whose work might unfairly be less acknowledged. It is this curatorial direction that gives meaning to the fair. This year, the fair will be more contemporary than ever. We are very pleased to present a number of promising young galleries, some of which have been operating for less than a year. We do not focus on a specific region, since the fair is truly part of a global interconnected scene." The BAF relies on a selection committee comprising important figures of the international art scene: Olivia Bourrat, scientific director of Agence France-Muséums, Jean-Marc Decrop, specialised expert in contemporary Chinese and Middle Eastern art, Tamara Inja Jaber, artistic advisor to major collectors and Arab governmental institutions, and Lyne Sneige, arts and culture director at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, DC. On the occasion of the 10 year anniversary of BAF, the organisers invited Rachel Dedman to curate an exhibition. She has selected 10 promising artists from the MENA region following an open call to which more than 400 candidates responded. In addition, the exhibition "Unexpected Trove: The Unseen Works of Hussein Madi" will present a series of paintings from the collection Mazen and Loulia Soueid, which has never been exhibited, including rare landscapes by the renowned Lebanese artist Madi (b. 1938). Painted between 1965 and 1970 during his early years in Rome, the collection, representing a significant phase in the artist s career, was presumed lost for almost 40 years and only recently rediscovered. Curated by Abed Al-Kadiri, the exhibition is taking place under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Lebanon, and is produced in collaboration with Christie s. "A Tribute to Lebanon" is the title of another inspiring exhibition that explores Western creations inspired by Lebanon from the 18th century to the present day, through works and historical objects from the eclectic and fascinating collection of Philippe Jabre. Gaby Daher, exhibition curator and collector, said: “The exhibition is a journey through time and space. It will invite visitors to discover the image of Lebanon filtered through the Western eye. It will unveil more than 100 exceptional works of art and artifacts, including automata, dolls, photographic albums, historic Orientalist paintings and rare pieces by major 20th century artists, including Andy Warhol, David Hockney, AR Penck, and photographs by Don McCullin taken during the war in Lebanon in the 1980s." Marie-Mathilde Gannat, BAF VIP coordinator, added that “Many museums, private collections and Lebanese foundations will open their doors to VIPs for extraordinary and confidential visits, including the Sursock Museum, Beirut Art Centre, Dar El-Nimer, the MACAM museum, and the art galleries of the American University in Beirut. Important private collections, such as the Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Foundation, Nadim Karam s A.MUSE.UM, and Philippe Jabre, will also welcome VIPs. These artistic excursions will be punctuated with convivial moments, dinners and unforgettable evenings which characterise the Land of the Cedars." The five-day fair will offer multiple opportunities for cultural exchange with a rich programme of conferences and roundtables on modern and contemporary art, with a focus on the MENA region. Among topics will be the role of cultural institutions, the factors that shape art and the artist, and the question of "Arabity." The fair s satellite event, BeirutArtWeek (17-24 September 2019), electrifies the Lebanese capital by offering a journey to new experiences throughout the city. From an ephemeral exhibition in a building marked by the war, to a Cuban evening in an abandoned factory, to intimate get-togethers in palaces evoking 1,001 Nights, this series of events mixes contemporary art, dance, and traditional music in atypical places, highlighting the architectural and cultural heritage of the city. Children are equally encouraged to join the festival of colours. The Beirut Museum of Art offers children visiting BAF several workshops led by artists Chantale Fahmi, Soraya Gezelbash and Galeb Hawila.

Amr Diab will perform in the north coast city of New Alamein on Friday, August 16, for the first time. The concert will take place in the Music Arena at al-Masa Complex. The Music Arena can accommodate more than 20,000 spectators and offers the latest equipment. A theater has been prepared with special specifications for this extraordinary event, including the grades VIP, VVIP, and “Lounges.” As Diab prepared for the concert, he announced it on his official social networking pages. He will launch the latest songs of his new album “Ana Gheir” at the concert in addition to a number of his most famous songs. The concert is expected to see a very high turnout from people of all ages. Diab is one of the most famous singers in Egypt and the Middle East. Nicknamed “al-Hadaba” (The Plateau), the superstar has had a long-spanning career that began with his first musical creations in 1983. Over the past three and a half decades, Diab has successfully remained one of Egypt s and the Middle East s top singers, winning awards and selling records. In 2009, Diab won four 2009 African Music Awards for Best Artist, Best Album, Best Vocalist and Best Song for “Wayah”. He is also the only Middle Eastern artist to have received seven World Music Awards.

The Egyptian Musicians Syndicate put into force on Sunday the decision to stop dealing with pop singers who sing in the streets and on YouTube without licenses from the syndicate. Head of the syndicate Hani Shaker said that the syndicate will cooperate with the Central Authority for the Censorship of Works of Art to deal with singers at pop festivals. Shaker added that the syndicate “awaits the role of the country in combating artistic corruption and decay,” and asserted that the syndicate works to present fine artworks to rebuild the capacities of the Egyptian youth. Syndicate member Alaa Salama clarified that police stopped concerts by pop singers Shawaha, Kozbara and Hangara, Magdi Shata and Hamo Beka during Eid al-Adha. The syndicate s decision asked all art bodies to stop dealing with pop singers Hamo Beka, Magdi Shata, Kozbara, Hangara, Sawarekh team, Afaret, Osaba (gang), Basla, el-Zaeim, Weza Matarya, Amro Haha, al-Deizel, Alaa Fifty, al-Kaab al-Aali, Shawaha, Abu Lela, and Andrew al-Henawi because these artists are not licensed by the syndicate. Pop singer Hangara commented on the decision, saying that the dual pop team Kozbara we Hangara is not ashamed of presenting pop songs and that they started to sing in 2009, presenting the accreditation papers to the syndicate.

Folklorama, the largest and longest-running multicultural festival dedicated to the international folkloric arts, runs between 4 and 17 August in Winnipeg, Manitoba province, Canada Now in its 50th edition, the Folklorama Festival, the world s oldest fest dedicated to folkloric arts, saw the participation of an Egyptian folkloric troupe with its own pavilion for the first time. The annual two-week event, this year taking place from 4 to 17 August is held in Winnipeg, Canada, with 50 international pavilions. Egypt s was located in the University of Manitoba, having showcased its rich folkloric art throughout the first week of the festival. "Welcome to Egypt: Crossroads of Civilisations," states Folklorama s website presenting Egypt s participation. "After more than 5,000 years of Egyptian history, its pavilion finally arrives to Folklorama this year for the first time." The Egyptian pavilion featured Mohamed El-Sayed, a Cairo-born dancer and percussionist specialising in Sufi whirling, in addition to belly dancers. The pavilion also held sessions where attendees could have their names written in hieroglyphic, as well as cooking gatherings in the evening to introduce visitors to Egyptian and Oriental culinary delights such as fuul medammes, koshari, and konafa. Egypt s shows were performed thrice daily from 4 to 10 August. The Egyptian pavilion was organised by Winnipeg s Egyptian community, whose 5,000 members had enthusiastically embraced the concept of the pavilion, according to Hala Salama, the pavilion s coordinator. Folklorama was launched in 1970 marking Manitoba s centennial, and over the past decades it has grown to become an annual two-week long festival dedicated to the folkloric arts from all around the world. Folkloric groups from Central America, Europe, Asia, and Africa participated in the fest, with each country exhibiting its cultural and folkloric spirit for an entire week.

The revenues from Welad Rizk (Sons of Rizk) Part 2 by film director Tarek Alarian totaled LE4,089,172 million on Saturday, standing as the highest-earning Egyptian movie, followed by El Feel El Azraq (The Blue Elephant) Part 2, which earned LE1,806,049 million in revenues, said the Egyptian film production company Dollar Film. Welad Rizq Part 2 stars Ahmed Ezz, Amr Youssef, Ahmed Dawood, Ahmed El Fishawi, Mohammed Mamdouh, Karim Qasim and Khaled El Sawi. El Kenz (The Treasure) Part 2 by film director Sherif Arfa came in third place after earning LE212,904, followed by Enta Habiby w Bas (You Are My Only Lover), which earned LE72,675. El Feel El Azraq Part 2 stars Karim Abdel Aziz, Nelly Karim, Hind Sabri, Iyad Nassar, Khaled El Sawy, and Sherine Reda.

To talk of colours as an emotional force is arguably to talk of pastel. The history of pastel in Europe dates back to the 16th century though it did not gain popularity until the 18th. This unique way of painting went in and out of vogue, witnessing its most recent heyday at the hands of Edgar Degas (1834-1917), whose death marked its relative fall from grace. In 20th-century Egypt only a handful of artists – notably Mohamed Sabri – used the medium with any success. In 20 years of regular gallery going, I have seldom seen a single exhibition dedicated to pastel. Halla El Shafei s initiative is therefore all the more remarkable. Recognised by the International Pastel Journal in 2016 as one of the top 10 pastel artists worldwide, El Shafei s work has garnered much attention; an abstract piece was selected by the jury at the Annual Pastel Society Exhibition in England inn 2013. Her colours flow with such energy and spontaneity it is as if she is using her own emotions to paint. I visited El Shafei at her beautiful house, a treasure trove of eclectic art. Her passion for art started early, she told me, partly because she grew up in an art-loving atmosphere: “My father, a famous economist, used to help me do my art projects and buy me colouring books, while my mother was keen on decorating our home with colourful things, and music was an essential part of our daily schedule. We travelled a lot, and I went to a lot of museums and galleries when we did.” Yet she did not think of becoming an artist herself. A 1987 economics graduate of the American University in Cairo, El Shafei led a successful career in finance, eventually working for UN organisations. “For 20 years I had a disconnect with art. I was developing my career, then I got married and had a son. I don t know how I lived without art. The turning point in my life was when I turned 40. I was celebrating with some old friends from school and I suggested that we should do something different that year. So I started taking courses in photography, pottery and drawing. It was when I started studying with the late artist Maged El Segeny, the son of the pioneering artist Gamal El Segeny, that I was hooked. I learned from scratch, then I realised that I was building my new, original career. “It took me four years to master every branch and method of colouring and drawing, and I was still working part-time in the economic field. Another encouraging event took place in 2010, when I took part in a pastel exhibition in London, and my pastel drawings were warmly appreciated by many friends who encouraged me to start working on my first solo exhibition. A month before the 2011 Revolution, I decided to dedicate my time fully to pastel. I did a lot of research and experimentation, and studied international journals of pastel, used different types of pastel colours in order to master the medium.” Triggered by an appreciation of nature, even El Shafei s work is rich in intimations of flowers and landscape. “Abstraction is the most difficult genre of art, it is based on the artist s memories, and the their ability to analyse and simplify figures and items. Abstract art is based on composition, how to use different tones, different strokes. Colours are very significant for me because they carry different emotions. The spectrum is endless. The trick is how to blend them and make music out of their diversity. It is very challenging. I chose pastel because I am a colourist in the first place. I breathe colour. “Colouring is a gift. I was brought up to believe in the power of colours. However, not all artists are colourists. Colors is a language, and pastel is one of its harder tools. You can learn how to draw or paint, but colouring is definitely a gift. Soft Pastel is made of the purest pigments in the world. This explains its richness and luminosity, and why its impact is incomparable. The special thing about pastel is that it is a medium for both drawing and painting medium, it requires no brush, so it gives the artist tremendous intimacy and freedom.” Her first solo exhibition, “Loving Pastel”, was held at Al-Bab Hall, Opera House grounds, in 2012. It included 60 works, all in pastel, which dealt conceptually with women s issues as well as nature. In 2015 she gave two exhibitions that reflected her thoughts on storytelling and experiments in abstraction that led to the present abstract work. There are very few abstract paintings in pastel in the world at large. But she might not stay in her abstract phase forever. “Artists are free to go back and forth,” she says. “Of course I can revisit my old phases, but with a new spirit.” In these recent paintings, there are hardly any traces of the human face. She is more interested in the soul, not the material form of the subject. Her confident yet sensitive strokes form lines and spaces that merge in chart-like compositions. Especially since winning international awards, El Shafei is not too concerned about the lack of popularity of pastel, of which she is such a champion she teaches it online. “One lesson I learned about art is that you just draw what you love. There is no way you can be dictated to by market forces or fads. Luckily, there is a growing audience in Egypt and a flourishing market worldwide for pastel. The problem in the 21st century is that we are bombarded by millions of pictures through social media. This is why I challenge myself every day. I want to make images that have never been seen. I want to leave the viewers with a space to meditate. My dream is to establish a pastel society in Egypt to promote pastel as a medium, and recognise the fact that it was part of Egyptian art history since the 1920s.”

Egypt s Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anani on Tuesday inspected the development and restoration of the Royal Vehicles Museum in Cairo, ahead of the museum s opening in December. The head of the project sector at the Ministry of Antiquities Waad Abu al-Ela said that the project began in 2001 but was suspended for several times before resuming in 2017, asserting that 80 percent of the project has now been completed. Abu al-Ela clarified that the project included rehabilitation of the museum s building, renovation of the facades, completion of architectural finishes, preparation for the exhibition halls, installation of the latest lighting systems, fire extinguishers , insurance and burglar alarms. It also includes preparations for the restoration lab equipped with the latest scientific equipment, the allocation of a visual exhibition hall to display documentaries on the royal vehicles, especially of the Alawite family, the establishment of a cafeteria and an elevator for people with special needs. Assistant to the Minister for Museums Affairs Nevin Nizar said that the museum has allocated five exhibition halls to showcase unique vehicles and other accessories including carts donated to the Alawite family, and a vehicle donated by French Empress Eugénie de Montijo to Khedive Ismail for the opening of the Suez Canal. The Royal Vehicles Museum was first established during the reign of Khedive Ismail, with the museum being modified during the reign of King Fouad.

Out of a belief in the need to connect new generations to their history and instill within them a love for ancient Egyptian civilization, the Ministry of Antiquities and Egypt s Society for Culture and Development have jointly opened hieroglyphics courses for children at affiliated libraries. Cooperation was initiated between the Department of Cultural Development of the Ministry of Antiquities and the libraries affiliated with Egypt s Society for Culture and Development last year. The introductory courses taught to children include Egyptian heritage and sports throughout the ages as well as hieroglyphics. The initiative is generally aimed at children aged between 7 and 15 years old, said Rasha Esmat, head of the programs department at Egypt s Society for Culture and Development. The program opened at eight libraries in July. Classes also opened at the Society s Cultural Center in the Ard al-Golf area, according to Esmat. She added that the program will continue until the end of August. Due to the young age of participants, instructors Sherif Shaaban and Mona Gharib were keen to simplify the content of the courses. Children were taught to write their names in hieroglyphics. Course sessions start at 11 am and end at 1:30 pm, she said. Esmat thanked Rasha Kamal, Director of the Department of Cultural Development, who she says played a major role in pushing the idea of the course further as part of the ministry s initiatives to spread historical awareness among young generations.

The head of the Projects Sector at Egypt s Antiquities Ministry, Waad Abul-Ela announced that the Sharm el-Sheikh Museum will be inaugurated at the beginning of the next year, at a total cost of LE1.2 billion for both the first and second phases. Al-Borsa newspaper reported Abul-Ela saying on Monday that the cost of the first phase of the project is LE600 million, 80 percent of which has been completed. Abul-Ela expected the first stage to be completed during the next few days, with the second phase being completed at a cost of LE600 million by the end of this year. The first phase of the project includes an administrative building and four exhibition halls dedicated to antiquities, with a large corridor connecting these halls. The passage will feature the statue of the goddess Hathor and other artifacts. Abul-Ela said that that project is being constructed by the National Contracting Company and is being carried out according to a specific timetable. Egypt s Antiquities Ministry aims to create a new tourist product for the city of Sharm el-Sheikh, as well as for historical and archaeological tourism. The hotel capacity operating in Sharm el-Sheikh is about 33,000 rooms, out of a total of 65,000 in South Sinai governorate. The project s manager Emad al-Fadhly said that the area of the museum is about 220,000 square meters, of which 15,000 meters are green spaces and walks, and that work for the first phase has been completed in full. He added that the museum also includes a giant fountain, a place for concerts, staff accommodation, as well as a special garage for tourist buses and private cars. The project initially started in 2011, but suffered from a lack of funds available by the ministry, and was finally resumed again at the beginning of last year.

Whether or not they have a dramatic-artistic justification, sequels always capitalise on the commercial prospects of the original movie. Five years ago Al-Fil Al-Azraq (The Blue Elephant) grossed LE8 million in the first week of its release. Its sequel, released last Thursday, made over LE4 million on its first two days of screening. It is the fourth collaboration between filmmaker Marawan Hamed and novelist Ahmed Mourad, after The Blue Elephant (2014), Al-Asleyeen (The Originals, 2017) and Torab Al-Mas (Diamond Dust, 2018). Hamed s ninth long fiction film since his 2006 debut Emaret Yacoubian (Yacoubian Building), based on Alaa Al-Aswani s novel and written by his father the celebrated screenwriter Wahid Hamed. It is clear that Marawan Hamed has been planning his career very carefully. Though it appeared to be a new genre in Egyptian cinema, as a horror-thriller The Blue Elephant was in fact preceded by such films as Youssef Wahbi s Safeer Gohannam (The Ambassador of Hell, 1945) and several 1980s films such as Mohamed Radi s Al-Ens wal Jinn (Humans and Jinns, 1985) and Mohammed Shebl s Al-Ta awidha (The Talisman, 1987) that nonetheless suffered from weak visual effects and overacting. The Blue Elephant 2 opens at the Abbasiya Mental Health Hospital in the homicide section, “8 West”. A new murderer named Farida (Hend Sabry) who killed her husband and her child is being held in that section. She won t speak to anyone but Dr Yahia Rashed, who left the hospital five years ago. The second sequence in the film is exactly like the first Blue Elephant. The main character, psychiatrist Yahia Rashed (Karim Abdel-Aziz), is sleeping in a chair in a balcony in front of the Nile in daylight, then he wakes up. The camera trails him as he enters the room, where we realise he had been drinking whisky when he passed out in his seat at the bar. This reminds the viewer of the protagonist s personality: a careless heavy drinker and smoker who gives in to the temptation of evil. These details were very important in building the characteristics of Yahia in the first film, paving the road to his use of a new drug called the Blue Elephant. A DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) pill, this is a hallucinogen much more powerful than LSD (as Maya, the girlfriend who gives it to him, explains) and it ushers him through the rabbit hole back in time to the era of the Mamelukes where he discovers the demon Nael, who is behind the murder his friend Sherif Al-Kordy (Khaled Al-Sawy) was framed for. In the new film Yahia is married to Lubna Al-Kordy (Nelly Karim), a relationship introduced in the first film. After receiving a call from the hospital Yahia meets with the new director of 8 West, Akram (Eyad Nassar), who graduated in Europe and is trying to apply modern methods in the land of superstition and hallucination. The plot in the first film was based on a smart game of questions between Sherif-Nael and Yahia, as the latter tries to help his old friend by solving the murder he is accused of committing while the demon Nael tries to manipulate him. Now we discover that Nael has returned in the body of Farida and is once again trying to take revenge on Yahia. The structure of the drama here is very similar to the structure of the plot of Yorgos Lanthimos The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017). In both films the protagonist has fewer and fewer days before losing his family one by one. In the British film, the Greek filmmaker didn t care to explain the mysterious power of the young villain because he was more interested in the philosophical notion of choice, but inThe Blue Elephant 2 Hamed and Mourad find their explanation in the world of magic and demons. The script in the first film was full of detail in characterisation and action, which is more than can be said for the present offering, which glosses over such elements as the tattoo artist Dega or Khadiga (Sherin Reda), who used a tattoo on a the leg of Sherif s wife to summon a Jinn to make him desire her again and ended up with more than she had bargained for. The acting is moderate in both films, but Karim Abdel-Aziz is not as good in the second as he was in the first, perhaps due to the way the character is written. Hend Sabry s performance as the villain does not live up to those of Khaled Al-Sawy and Mohamed Mamdouh. Evidently inspired by David Lynch s Twin Peaks (1990-1992), Hamed had created a dream circus for Yahia to be in after taking the pill. This time his attempts at visual play are not as successful. All in all The Blue Elephant 2 is not a bad film but it is not on the same level as The Blue Elephant. In both films, Hisham Nazih s music — which mixes Sufi tradition and poetry with rock and Western melody — is among the most powerful elements

Sixth of October Prosecution in Giza decided on Thursday to close the investigation in the lawsuit known in media outlets as the “Rania Youssef dress case” because of the invalidity of the lawsuit s criminal proceedings. Youssef wore a black see-through outfit that fully exposed her legs to the closing ceremony of the 2018 Cairo International Film Festival on November 29. Cairo appeals prosecution ordered on December 6 the release of actress Rania Youssef on a personal guarantee following a four-hour interrogation session on charges of committing an obscene public act and inciting infidelity, immorality, and vice. Actors Syndicate Legal Representative Shaaban Saeed and Board Member Ayman Azab attended the interrogation session with Youssef. The actress told prosecutors that revealing the lower parts of her body was unintentional, as the lining of the dress went up without her noticing and none of her colleagues alerted her. Lawyers Amr Abdel Salam, Hamido Gameel al-Prince, Wahid al-Kilany and Samir Sabry backtracked on claims they had filed against Youssef over the dress following Youssef s apology to all Egyptian families for the incident. Youssef had been referred to a Cairo misdemeanor court regarding a claim filed by the lawyers for charges related to wearing the outfit. The lawyers claimed to the public prosecution after the ceremony that Youssef had committed “obscene public behavior” and “did not meet societal values” and therefore has undermined the reputation of the Egyptian people.