Chloé Zhao's Hamnet enters the awards season adorned with prestige, affirming its place among this year's most anointed films. Yet beneath the acclaim lies a curious emotional hollowness.
For those who look closely, there were recurring cultural themes over the past 12 months, whether in cinema, music, art, or literature. There were also common threats and shared opportunities.
The trailblazing Egyptian producer and actress with a tumultuous private life had become an icon when she died in 2020, not least for having stood against the nationalisation of cinema
Set to the stunning backdrop of AlUla, Norah by Tawfiq Al-Zaidi has broken new ground for Saudi cinema with a story about two people who inspire one another.
Shot in Toyko, Wim Wenders' film pays homage to Ozu and other Japanese filmmaking giants. Critics say this could be the German filmmaker's best work yet.
Disruption in the Hormuz can have major implications for global trade, but it also creates opportunities for smaller nations like Iran to become global political players
The Iraq war was viewed as disastrous in retrospect, while the Iran war was unpopular from the get-go. Al Majalla highlights the similarities and differences between the two.
Pipelines have a chequered history in the Middle East, but the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led US Tom Barrack to conclude that a new route through Syria could solve some problems.