There is a pocket of Hollywood in Kathmandu, and at the recent Unesco meeting in Abu Dhabi, it was highlighted as a case study of inclusivity within the audiovisual industry.
Incessant Rain Studios, an animation and visual effects company, has worked on several titles that have been the pride of cinema and streaming platforms in the past decade. Its repertoire includes working on the visual effects in John Wick: Chapter 4 and Stranger Things, as well as the animation in Lego Batman and films from the Kung Fu Panda franchise.
The studio has been instrumental in positioning Nepal as a filmmaking destination. Last year it began working with a Nepalese initiative to prop up its female workforce.
The studio’s founder Kiran Bhakta Joshi and co-chief executive Deepa Chipalu Joshi serve as special advisers in Women in Animation Nepal, an initiative that helps women develop the skills necessary to work as animators. The organisation has been an example of how gender and youth inclusivity programmes can help pave a new career path, drive economic growth and contribute to diverse storytelling.
At the recent World Conference on Culture and Arts Education conference in the capital, Incessant Rain Studios and WIA Nepal joined representatives of Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, as well as Becoming Maestre, an initiative by Premi David di Donatello and Netflix that supports young female talent. The panel discussion was dedicated to how to foster inclusivity within the audiovisual industry.
Chipalu Joshi elaborated on WIA Nepal, saying the initiative was divided into two wings, one based in Los Angeles and the other in Kathmandu. “It advocates for the upliftment of women through engagement and education," she said. "In the US, it's a mentoring program and some scholarships. In Nepal, we really focus on education.”
The women who enrol in the programme, Chipalu Joshi said, do not have prior experience in animation. The initiative collaborates with the Incessant Rain Academy in Kathmandu and is currently providing scholarships to 120 women.
She added: “Advocacy is not just paying for education, which is a top priority for us, but also outreach. Letting them know that you have a teacher, you can feed your children and take care of your family. That is really important.”
The aim is to bolster women who are interested in animation so that they are fully capable of making a career out of their skills. The ultimate goal is to have a workforce at Incessant Rain Studios, where 50 per cent of the employees are women, Chipalu Joshi said.
Besides encouraging youth and gender equity, Incessant Rain Studios is also working to invest in regional content “that tell authentic stories and gives voice to local storytellers", Bhakta Joshi said.
In a conference centred on culture and arts education, the panel discussion was an important reminder of the power of stories in education.
Netflix is well-attuned to the power of storytelling, as well as the commercial potential of diversity. The streaming platform has also been working to extend its content to a diverse variety of voices.
Its Fund for Creative Equity, launched in 2021, has allocated $100 million across five years to train and provide jobs to talents from underrepresented communities around the globe. The mission is to pave an avenue of expression that leads to new, untold stories.
“Looking at our industry, for decades, historically marginalized communities have been defined by a single story, or worse, have been absent from our screens,” Krysia Kozniewska, head of the division for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said.
“At Netflix, we're really committed to programming local, authentic stories for local audiences.
“We also want to ensure that our employee base reflects our membership. We also realise that people want to see their lives reflected on screen. And research tells us that the more perspectives you have behind the camera, the better representation you then end up with on screen.”
The platform says it has invested almost $30 million over the past two years, helping around 4,500 creatives in 35 countries. Its Middle East initiative Because She Created aims to support the next generation of female storytellers in the Arab world, from writers to filmmakers.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Palestine and Israel - live updates
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
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You Were Never Really Here
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov
Four stars
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')
Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)
Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
