South Korean pop culture has never been more in demand--even making its way to the citizens of North Korea. But Kim Jong-un and his state media are cracking down on this "vicious cancer" he feels is perverting everything from " attire, hairstyles, speeches, behaviors " and, if not regulated, will corrupt North Korean youth.
Remember when your parents required you to do your homework before you could watch TV? I clearly recall working to quickly solve my math equations or finish my English essay so I could kick my parents out of the living room, change the channel away from those droning Bob Vila informercials and watch something truly entertaining—like “Family Guy.”
The recent release of Amazon Prime Video's "Tandav" created enormous controversy in India. Many viewers accused the show of offending religious sentiments. "Tandav" is a political drama with several popular Indian actors including Saif Ali Khan who also starred in the contentious "Sacred Games" and Dimple Kapadia who was seen in Christopher Nolan's "Tenet." The actors ran into trouble when, in six different states, multiple police cases were filed (FIRs) against the program's creators and cast.
The world is entering a new era of international collaboration in media and entertainment. How do stakeholders and participants blend and interpret their respective cultures and points of view? What results--a piece of work that celebrates the beliefs and values of local people, or will misunderstanding and controversy flourish? The film, "The Lady of Heaven," is one such multicultural endeavor. It was produced by the U.K.'s Enlightened Kingdom, directed by Eli King, an Australian born actor of Egyptian descent, and written by Sheikh Yasser Al-Habib, a Kuwaiti Shia Muslim cleric, and the head of the London-based Khoddam Al-Mahdi Organization. After watching the trailer, the film appears to be a vivid, multilayered story with significant religious overtones. "The Lady of Heaven" was due to be released Dec. 30 but has not. While no official reason has been given, dissent about the content's veracity has already begun.
On Sept. 9, the coming-of-age drama "Cuties," was released on Netflix in the U.S. The company bought worldwide rights (excluding France) to the film and in January 2020 it premiered at Sundance, winning the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The film is translated in to more than 40 languages and is available in 190 territories. In France, it was released Aug. 19 by Bac Films, who handled French rights.
Nigeria is located on the western coast of Africa. The country has been home to a number of ancient pre-colonial states and kingdoms over the millennia. Modern Nigeria originated from British colonial rule beginning in the 19th century. Nigeria’s most diverse feature is its people; there are more than 250 ethnic groups with over 500 distinct languages all identifying with a wide variety of cultures.
