Thanks TF! As safe as one can be.
Spent most of the day in the hospital because my sister had surgery (went well) and the first time in 12 days Iβve not been doomscrolling all day. Hoping for a peaceful night in Dubai and elsewhere. π€²
βThere are three types of people in Dubai right now: those off to play padel, those rushing to the Omani border, and those waiting for house prices to drop.β
Other types western media ignores, the ones who donβt have the luxury/time to play padel or leave the country. news.sky.com/story/weve-t...
Since Feb 28 here in Dubai, daily emergency alerts (sometimes multiple) on our phones, sounds of explosions of intercepted missiles/drones, more and more distressing news from across the region.
Also, countless Dubai bashing articles, underlying racism in many of them, and plenty of fake images.
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays.
A scene from Desk Set (Walter Lang, 1957), about a broadcast network that wants to replace its library run by women who do all the fact checking and research, with a new smart computer. Watched it at Il Cinema Ritrivato this summer.
I always wished I got to see this band play live, first heard about them in 2013 but feels like they disbanded / disappeared shortly after they were written about. www.theculturist.com/home/random-...
Not much personal insight, but recall this from 2012, maybe youβve already seen this by now.
Thank god for blogs. Now feels more urgent than ever to find better ways to have info like this preserved / archived. theaudiotopia.blogspot.com/2012/03/osir...
Co-hosting this with @jisoliman.bsky.social on May 4, new project weβre working on.
Will screen:
DONβT GET TOO COMFORTABLE (Shaima Al Tamimi)
WHERE AM I FROM? (Nouf Aljowaysir)
STILL PROCESSING (Sophy Romvari)
THE FLOWERS STAND SILENTLY, WITNESSING (Theo Panagopoulos) www.421.online/whats-on/col...
Join me this Sunday, April 13 at 11am at Alliance Francaise for the next edition of The Culturist Film: Club, Joy House / Les FΓ©lins (RenΓ© ClΓ©ment, 1963), starring Jane Fonda and Alain Delon
www.theculturist.com/home/the-cul...
Didn't have a chance to share this earlier, but if in Dubai:
March 8, I'm co-presenting a film screening+book discussion at Jameel Arts Centre
Film: Terra Femme (dir. Courtney Stephens)
Book: Three Centuries of Travel Writing by Muslim Women (Indiana Uni. Press)
jameelartscentre.org/whats-on/fil...
Starting a monthly newsletter titled Happenings to share things Iβm working on + recommendations. Just sent one out.
If youβd like to receive it, you can subscribe on my website, the form is on the homepage.
www.hindmezaina.com
π£ Dubai, join me on Jan 25, 6pm at Jameel Arts Centre for a short film program curated by me.
Films+discussion:
DAYBREAK EXPRESS (D. A. Pennebaker)
GOLDEN JUBILEE (Suneil Sanzgiri)
COAST (Francisco Dias)
THE INSTABILITY OF CLOUDS (Zazie Ray-Trapido)
Details: jameelartscentre.org/whats-on/nig...
glory (James Benning, 2019)
Not been here for more than a year. Not sure if Iβll leave the other place, Iβm thick skinned like that, but maybe Iβll dip in and out of here a bit more.
An enjoyable and memorable screening/performance followed by a discussion last night at NYUAD Arts Centre. Thanks to @activecultures.bsky.social and team for making it happen.
You should consider screening at NYUAD - it is set in New York 2022. Iβm sure lots to unpack from it. Hopefully we can chat night of Koyaanisqatsi.
Iβve never seen it as well. Just hope it will be a good screening experience (not attended anything in that auditorium before).
On Mon, Oct 2 Iβll be moderating a discussion with Nujoom Alghanem after the screening of her film HONEY, RAIN & DUST. Part of Earthscape Chronicles film series in College of Architecture, Art & Design at American Univeristy of Sharjah. Free to attend.
Details: www.theculturist.com/home/caad-ki...
Looking forward to watching KOYAANISQATSI (Godfrey Reggio, 1982) with a live score of music by Philip Glass performed by the Philip Glass Ensemble - on Oct 5 at NYUAD Arts Centre www.nyuad-artscenter.org/en_US/events...
The new restoration is also to mark the 40th anniv. of the film which premiered last night at Toronto Film Festival.
Dubai, donβt miss this. A perfect concert film.
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/talking-heads-stop-making-sense-reunite-restoration-premiere-tiff-1234819393/
Donβt think enough people in Dubai know the new restoration of Jonathan Demmeβs STOP MAKING SENSE is screening in Dubai for one night at 6pm this evening. Just got back from travelling and found it it listed on Vox Cinemasβ website. Looks like it hasnβt been marketed properly.
Iβve not been hearing good things about HF lately, so not been keen to follow / support what he does.
Not been very active here. Still trying to figure out if I should spend more time here or not. In the meantime, if in Dubai, Iβm hosting this on Saturday, July 15 at 7pm at Jameel Arts Centre. Join me if you can. https://www.theculturist.com/home/the-culturist-film-club-5-geographies-of-solitude
Also this in Chelsea Plaza Hotel across the road from Ravi. Goan.
https://www.chelseaplazahoteldubai.com/en/ambot-details
Al Mallah, good for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Longish walk (in this heat?), Mannaland (Korean food).
Probably too hot to see it during the day now. I know someone that visited last week and she said it was very hot and felt bad for the security man stationed there.
Think the Olafur Eliasson installation is all the rage now.
https://qm.org.qa/en/visit/public-art/shadows-travelling-olafur-eliasson/
The simple pleasure and joy of having first rate theatres just walking distance from where you live / work is something that sadly my part of the world will never ever be able to replicate.
Itβs been great to see a cinemas in few cities doing a Sakamoto fest, sad to be missing them. Youβre in the right city when it comes to cinemas!!!
Iβve been listening to the songs from Eurovision this year. Cheers me up a lot. Itβs a strange bubble of joy Eurovision.
Will wait for when it feels right or when Iβm ready to listen to that playlist.
