Hana Makhmalbaf, 19, is the youngest of the clan of Iranian filmmakers who, alongside Abaas Kiarostami, put Iranian film at the epicentre of world cinema.
Her father, Moshen, made The Silence and founded the Makhmalbaf Film School. Her sister Samira helmed the award winning The Apple and her brother Maysam is proving himself a fine editor.
It may come as no surprise then that cinema has been the primary focus of Hana's life.
At the age of 7 she appeared in her father's drama A Moment of Innocence and by the time she was 14 she'd directed a documentary that world premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
However, her family name is also something of a poisoned chalice; Hana has to carry the burden of expectation that comes with being an eponymous member of the The Makhmalbaf Film House, and endure cynicism about her father being more than just an interested writer, editor, or adviser on his family's films.
Hana's fictional feature film debut, Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame, is proof that there is an interesting new and unique voice in the family. It's very different to anything that Moshen has made, even if it can be seen as part of the group of films made in Afghanistan by The Makhmalbaf Film House.
The family's Afghanistan films started with Kandahar, made by Moshen just before September 11. It tells the story of an Afghan refugee living in Canada who returns to Afghanistan to try and stop her sister from committing suicide. On her return, she sees how the harsh regime has transformed attitudes in Afghanistan.
In 2003, Hana's sister Samira made At Five in the Afternoon, which questions whether the American led invasion has made a difference to Afghanistan. The homeless protagonist, oblivious to the cruel everyday reality of her life, dreams about becoming Afghanistan's first female president.
It was during the making of Samira's film that Hana shot Joy of Madness, a documentary highlighting the difficulties of casting non-professional actors in Kabul in 2002.
Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame focuses on the children of Afghanistan, showing the affect that living in a war-torn society has on their mindset. It's a magnificent mix of Lord of the Flies and Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood. A single-minded eight year old girl (Niktbakhat Noruz) wants to go to school. She tries to enrol in her neighbour's boys' school but is sent away on account of her gender. The girl is then terrorised by a group of boys playing at Cowboys and Indians.
The boys' use of language and ideology is strikingly similar to that of the Taliban and this fact enables Hana to create a powerful allegory in which she questions whether there can be any hope for a generation brought up on divisive politics in a war-torn environment.
"Children are the future adults," Hana says. "If they get used to violence, the future of the world will be in great danger. A teenaged boy in the film says, 'When I grow up I will kill you'. Because as a child he has been through lots of violence, it has become part of his usual life. I think that children's real school is observing and copying their parents' behaviour or other adults around them.
"The irony is that even those who had come to rescue Afghanistan first destroyed it, and then didn't find the time to rebuild it until the next so-called rescue group came and went through the same destruction and violence again and again and again. And this violence has been injected over and over from different groups into the culture of the people in this country so strongly that you can see it in how the children play."
Such irony is a trait that has been mastered by the Makhmalbaf family of filmmakers. (It is also an important component of much recent Iranian cinema.) Even the film's title is dripping with double meanings.
"I got this title from a metaphorical quote from my father, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, which meant that even a statute can be ashamed to witness all the violence and harshness happening to these innocent people and therefore, collapse," Hana explains.
"The other reason for choosing this title was that people think that in a city where a Buddha statue exists nothing that violent could happen. I wanted to show the contrast and irony of it and show that all this harshness and violence that has happened right under these symbols of innocence and calmness."
Criticism has been aimed at Buddha because, to make the film, the children had to play out horrific scenes. The girl is bullied and prodded on screen, but Makhmalbaf had no qualms about recreating the tough realities of life.
"These children are living in this sort of situation, so they are used to it," she says. "In fact, this is what I am trying to show with this film and hopefully try to make a change to their harsh conditions." She also adds that working with children was her favourite part of making this film.
The violent behaviour of the boys in Buddha seems to suggest that there isn't much hope for the next generation of Afghans. Hana argues that the future will echo the past unless there is radical change.
"The Taliban are gone but their impact still remains on this culture," she says. "Continuous wars in Afghanistan have destroyed the culture more than the country. The violence that has raided the souls of the children through wars in this country may erupt in the future. But the children in this country, unlike the American children who learn violence through Hollywood action films, have learnt it by witnessing some of the harshest things happening to their relatives in front of their eyes. They have witnessed their fathers being beheaded in their gardens."
The stories she heard in Afghanistan are reflected in the film's finale.
"As I started shooting, I saw and heard new things around the subject and also paid close attention to the children playing around us, and decided to bring some of those games and new information in my story. For example, I met a guy who was a Communist during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and then he became a Mullah during the Taliban and now he was working with the Americans. He has always been in close contact with the people in power during the past two decades. This man is being played by a boy in the film who always kills people but each time with a different name, thus representing different groups."
The Makhmalbaf Film House's decision to make art in Afghanistan is not simply a case of taking advantage of the war and the current world order for heightened emotional impact. It's more a case of expediency and necessity. It has become impossible for the Makhmalbafs to make films in their homeland of Iran.
"Cinema has practically exiled us. My father officially lives like a gypsy in order to get away from censorship. For example, this film was made in Afghanistan, edited in Tajikistan and laboratory work was done in Germany."
This begs the question whether the family are really talking about the situation in Iran, even though their most recent films have been set in Afghanistan.
"This film, despite not being made in Iran, is about common sufferings that exist both in Iran and Afghanistan. Both societies have cultural/political problems alike."
She is also quick to add that she'd like to make films closer to home. "Any story that may interest me and anywhere it may be possible to obtain permission for making, I will make my films. I have many stories that take place in Iran and hopefully one day when I have the permission I will make them. Now it is not an easy time."
It's not just through cinema that this prodigious talent tries to express her view of the world. She's a poet and a writer, too, and chooses her craft to match the message she wants to tell.
"For me, cinema is like a tool. I just use this tool to talk about the pain people are going through in their daily life. What is more, as a teenage girl living in Iran under current conditions and having to bear with ideological, political and social pressures, I have a lot to say. Most of the time this is expressed in the form of short stories."
However, Hana, like the rest of her family, has the biggest international impact when she uses cinema as a mode of expression.
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
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
England squads for Test and T20 series against New Zealand
Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes
T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
%3Cp%3EApril%2021-23%3A%20Imola%3Cbr%3EMay%205-7%3A%20Misano%3Cbr%3EMay%2026-28%3A%20SPA-Francorchamps%3Cbr%3EJune%2023-25%3A%20Monza%3Cbr%3EJuly%2021-23%3A%20Paul%20Ricard%3Cbr%3ESept%2029-Oct%201%3A%20Mugello%3Cbr%3EOct%2013-15%3A%20Vallelunga%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2 (Heaton (og) 42', Lindelof 64')
Aston Villa 2 (Grealish 11', Mings 66')
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
BABYLON
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE squad v Australia
Rohan Mustafa (C), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Fahad Nawaz, Amjed Gul, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Muhammad Naveed, Amir Hayat, Ghulam Shabir (WK), Qadeer Ahmed, Tahir Latif, Zahoor Khan
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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