The 77th Cannes Film Festival concluded at the weekend, and while Palestine may not have been on the lips of most of those in attendance, quiet resistance was seemingly everywhere.
As the two-week event progressed, stars and filmmakers from the region and around the world made silent statements of solidarity, particularly on the red carpet.
Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid wore a red dress inspired by the keffiyeh. Indian actress Kani Kusruti, of the award-winning film All We Imagine as Light, held a watermelon-shaped purse in the colours of the Palestinian flag. Australian actor Guy Pearce wore a bracelet embroidered with the same colours, along with a pin of the Palestinian flag on his lapel, the latter reportedly edited out of published photos by Vanity Fair France.
Even Oscar-shortlisted director Asmae El Moudir, a jury member for the festival’s Un Certain Regard programme, sewed the Palestinian flag into the palm of her glove for the closing ceremony.
As another jury member, the renowned director and star Nadine Labaki, said at a press conference during the festival: “Cultural resistance prevails.”
The power of those images is palpable. Even after the festival has ended, they continue to circulate across the world, shared and reshared by the many of us who yearn for public declarations for peace as the devastation in Gaza has reached previously unthinkable levels.
It is a testament to the enduring power of films and those who make them, and the significance of culture especially in moments of crisis.
Over the past two weeks, when I privately spoke to many in attendance, including actors, filmmakers, producers and jury members, their reasons for speaking out were myriad.
The festival itself set the tone from the outset. Cannes general delegate Thierry Fremaux, as my colleague Razmig Bedirian noted last week, stated his intention that the festival this year should be “without polemics”.
Protests were made illegal last year by the city's government, and security was increased this year. And while there was no outright censorship of Palestine in particular, the message that many interpreted was to keep silent on the issue.
For context, while glitz and glamour may be part of the reason for Cannes' international appeal, the industry is currently in a quiet crisis of its own. Last year's strike left many out of work, and even when it ended, everything did not go back to normal exactly, especially for those not at the top end of the industry.
Studios, streamers and independent production houses are privately being more careful about the projects they move forward with. The landscape for film continues to change, making a project's success far from a sure thing.
At Cannes, most projects are independently produced, and the talent is at the festival, in part, to search for international buyers. A controversial comment to the press could take attention away from a project, potentially leaving a years-long journey dead on arrival. And it is not only their own livelihoods they would be risking, it is those of others.
Even with that in mind, for many, the crisis in Gaza is too massive an issue to ignore, and any form of protest for peace might help save lives. That is why it was so heartening to see many attendees potentially risking their livelihoods by silently showing solidarity on the red carpet.
It also illustrates that one act of bravery inspires others. After Cate Blanchett's dress was interpreted as a symbol of Palestinian resistance, many followed.
It shows that in even the most restrictive of circumstances, goodness prevails, and it is virtually impossible to get people who care about the value of human life to stop talking about Palestine.
Nor will they, until freedom prevails.
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Fanney Khan
Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora
Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand
Rating: 2/5
