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Majid Majidi condemns US campaign as his film gains notice in Busan
Iranian director Majid Majidi spoke out in Busan against the US campaign in Iran while presenting his new film, *Midday Meal*. He said he had initially planned to decline the festival invitation because he felt exhausted and did not want to leave Iran, but came hoping to carry a message from his people to audiences…
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Former Tourism Australia executive admits misusing $50,000 in public funds
Former Tourism Australia executive Quan Liu admitted misusing nearly $50,000 in public funds and falsifying a letter to support her cousin’s Australian visa application. Prosecutors said she abused her senior public role and used the letter to make it appear the government would host her cousin, despite his earlier visa application being rejected. Between 2022…
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Academy CEO Bill Kramer to Head to Tokyo for Leadership Award and Onstage Summit With Toho Boss Matsuoka Hiro
Academy CEO Bill Kramer will visit Asia for the first time later this month, receiving a leadership award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and taking part in public discussions with Academy colleagues and Toho chief Matsuoka Hiro. The visit highlights the Academy’s international work and creates a forum to discuss the future of film…
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Academy executives to discuss global cinema and distribution in Tokyo
The Tokyo International Film Festival will host a two-day “Academy in Tokyo” programme, bringing senior Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences executives to Japan. The events will highlight the Oscars and the Academy’s international work, while opening discussion on how cinema and film distribution may evolve. On 28 October, Academy CEO Bill Kramer, President…
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India and China aren’t friends – but Nepal wants to unite them against climate threats
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has proposed a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism to help Nepal, India and China co-ordinate disaster response and share scientific information. The proposal aims to address climate threats that cross borders, though it is an early-stage plan and comes amid longstanding tensions between India and China. The Himalayan region is warming…
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Melbourne man charged over alleged plan to traffic woman and children to Pakistan
A 37-year-old man has been charged in Melbourne over an alleged plan to traffic a woman and her two young children from Australia to Pakistan. Police say he threatened the woman to make her travel, and that officers intervened before the group’s planned departure. The investigation began on 10 June after a member of the…
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Born 86 Years Ago Today in India, the British Answer to Elvis Presley Who Dominated the Charts Before the Beatles
Cliff Richard, born Harry Rodger Webb in Lucknow in 1940, became one of Britain’s leading early rock ’n’ roll stars. His 1958 hit “Move It” helped establish a homegrown British rock scene, and his success came before the Beatles’ arrival transformed the pop landscape. After moving to the London suburbs, Webb joined skiffle groups and…
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‘Beach Fictions’ Review: Utterly Beguiling, Time-Tweaking Korean Romance Shows What a Day a Difference Makes
“Beach Fictions”, Lim Hayeon’s debut feature, follows Tae-ju through two versions of the same day, each shaped by different encounters and choices. The film explores how stories, advice and other people’s views can influence someone’s sense of agency, while a changing romantic connection gives the two timelines different outcomes. After a painful evening with friends…
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Report warns UK’s green targets rely on China despite supply chain risks
A report by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China warns that Britain’s climate targets depend on Chinese-made clean energy technology, raising concerns about forced labour, unfair trade and security vulnerabilities. It says the UK faces a choice between accepting medium-term reliance on China and finding ways to control the risks in its supply chains. China dominates…