The 64th New York Film Festival begins on 25 September with a main programme featuring 34 films from 31 countries. The selection includes the documentary Naza, alongside films coming from Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Locarno, and four films receiving their world premieres in New York.
Written and directed by Paul Greengrass, The Uprising recreates the popular revolt that erupted in England in 1381 through the story of a devastated farmer who joins crowds marching towards London. The film combines bleak visual realism with notable performances as it traces the transformation of a just cause into a bloody rebellion that ends with repression and the revocation of charters of freedom.
The Czech author Barbora Klarova’s collection The Amazing Engineer’s Adventures has been published in Arabic in seven stories that blend fantasy with technology and give machines feelings and dreams. Dar al-Zawi in Tripoli undertook publication of the work, which received approval from Libya’s Ministry of Culture and paved the way for the translation of more Czech children’s literature.
The Doha Film Institute has selected The Station, the first feature-length fiction film by Yemeni-Scottish director Sara Ishaq, to open the Doha Film Festival in November 2026. The film will have its Middle East and North Africa premiere after taking part in the Venice and Cannes film festivals.
The new Resident Evil film opened with 60 million dollars in North America and 108.3 million dollars worldwide, marking the franchise’s best opening. Zach Cregger’s film returns the story to an ordinary protagonist with limited resources, after a 24-year run that moved from Alice’s conflict with Umbrella to questions of identity, family and survival.
The Alice in the City event, held alongside the Rome Film Festival, is presenting American actress Susan Sarandon with the Womanlands Award for Excellence in recognition of her career and independence from the Hollywood system, while she says her pro-Palestinian views continue to cost her film roles and prompt agencies to advise productions not to hire her.
A session organised by Qatar National Library in cooperation with the Colombian Embassy in Doha combined literary discussion with live music to explore One Hundred Years of Solitude. Artist Oriana Da Marthe performed pieces inspired by her album Journey to Macondo at an event aimed at promoting dialogue and cultural exchange.
The ‘Cinema on the Move’ initiative enabled residents of Zaghouan to watch Tunisian films and take part in arts workshops as part of the ‘Cinema Is Coming’ event. It used a mobile cinema inside a lorry to reach areas without cinemas, amid calls for greater funding and a fairer distribution of cultural spaces in Tunisia.
The Red Sea International Film Festival Foundation has postponed its sixth edition, scheduled to take place in Jeddah from 3 to 12 December 2026, to the final quarter of 2027, citing timing considerations and logistical requirements, while confirming the continuation of film-support programmes and the launch of a permanent initiative in Historic Jeddah.
The crisis at Washington’s Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts is heading towards a new court hearing on 23 September, after a protest attended by about 1,500 people and rulings blocking the addition of Donald Trump’s name to the building without congressional approval. The dispute involves the institution’s name, its closure, its $257 million renovation project and the possibility of sweeping changes.
Palestinian film Gaza 13, directed by Hossam Abu Dan, has won the NETPAC Award at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. The director’s first feature film was shot entirely in the Gaza Strip by a Palestinian crew, despite the challenges of displacement, power cuts and a shortage of equipment.
The removal of rapper Macklemore from the opening acts on Ed Sheeran’s tour after he chanted “Free Palestine” led four artists to withdraw and prompted calls for a boycott. Sheeran apologised during a Philadelphia concert and criticised Israel’s war on Gaza and the pressure exerted by American stadium owners over the content of performances.
‘The Last House’ places a family trapped inside its home against dwindling resources and retreating technology over five years, with Greta Lee and Wagner Moura in the lead roles. Between its appealing visual treatment of a world reclaimed by nature, the film reveals stereotypical characters and a script that does not give its two stars enough room to deliver convincing performances.
Four artists and bands have withdrawn from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore after he was dropped over his pro-Palestinian stance during the New Jersey shows. The promoter attributed the decision to venues refusing to host shows featuring the American rapper, while those involved have offered differing accounts of responsibility for it.
Cultural and artistic support for Palestinians has extended from Ireland and the Netherlands boycotting Eurovision 2027 to artists withdrawing from Ed Sheeran concerts following Macklemore’s exclusion, amid continuing controversy over the Israeli film “Naza” and measures threatened by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government against those involved in it.
Egypt’s selection committee has chosen Abu Bakr Shawky’s film “The Stories” to compete for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film at the 99th edition, following a vote covering 36 films. The film led both rounds of voting, as the Academy prepares to announce the preliminary list in December.
Lebanese visual artist and archaeologist Lina Jouni has transformed bombing remnants collected from her home and rubble-clearance sites in southern Lebanon into faces, sculptures and paintings that revive the stories of victims and places. Her project includes a piece of a missile reshaped as a cedar tree and a sculpture made from rubble bearing the words, “We refuse to die.”
Syrian singer Asala Nasri performed at the Fayhaa Sports Hall in Damascus, marking her first appearance on a Syrian stage since 2010. The evening, titled ‘Asala’s Return’, included a tribute to her by Culture Minister Mohammed Yassin Saleh and performances from her new Syrian album alongside well-known works.
Artists and bands scheduled for the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran’s tour have withdrawn in solidarity with Macklemore after he was dropped for supporting Palestine during a concert in New Jersey. Sheeran attributed the decision to tour organisers and stadium owners, while Macklemore pledged to donate his net earnings to aid Palestinians.
Tunisian writer Imad Ali Qeida won the second Khaled Khalifa Prize for Fiction for his manuscript “Al-Munsarimun” in the category for an unpublished first novel. Set in the city of Nabeul, the novel connects 19th-century Tunisia with its post-revolution political and social reality.
Jean Smart strengthened her standing in television by winning her fifth consecutive Emmy for her role as Deborah Vance in “Hacks”. The win brings the American actress’s acting Emmy total to eight, capping a career that began on stage and spanned comedy and drama before she became a leading star after turning 70.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award named Egyptian artist Nagat El-Saghira its Cultural Personality of the Year during the 36th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, making her the first artist to receive the honour since the award was launched, in recognition of her career and influence on Arab singing and culture.
American rapper Macklemore was removed from the remaining US shows on Ed Sheeran’s tour after chanting “Free Palestine” during a performance in New Jersey. Tour organizers said the host venues rejected his participation, while activists and rights groups criticized the decision and called for it to be reversed.
Arab and international lists and initiatives collecting children’s books related to Palestine are expanding, presenting the issue in language suited to different age groups. Writers and illustrators use stories, artwork and heritage elements to introduce new generations to the land and identity, while the International Board on Books for Young People’s list currently includes 61 titles and may grow.
A session organised by Qatar National Library in cooperation with the Colombian Embassy in Doha combined literary discussion with live music to explore One Hundred Years of Solitude. Artist Oriana Da Marthe performed pieces inspired by her album Journey to Macondo at an event aimed at promoting dialogue and cultural exchange.