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DUBAI: The official selection of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival was announced on April 13, with nine filmmakers from the MENA region among the line-up for the 76th edition of the festival, running from May 16-27.
The roster also features five films that have been backed by Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film fund, including Tunisian film “Four Daughters” by Kaouther Ben Hania, Senegalese film “Banel E Adama” directed by Ramata Toulayesy, Sudanese film “Goodbye Julia” by filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani, “Les Meutes” by Kamal Lazrek and “The Mother of All Lies” by Asmae El-Moudir.
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Here are the nine filmmakers from the MENA region who will showcase their work at the festival this year.
Karim Ainouz
The Algerian-Brazilian filmmaker’s “Firebrand,” an historical drama following Catherine Parr and Henry VIII’s marriage, and starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law, will screen in the official competition category.
Kaouther Ben Hania
The Tunisian filmmaker’s “Four Daughters,” also showing in the official competition, stars Hend Sabry as the mother of four daughters, two of whom become radicalized and join Daesh.
Ramata-Toulaye Sy
The Senegalese-French film director and screenwriter’s debut feature “Banel & Adama” is a female emancipation drama set in a remote village in Northern Senegal, which will screen in the official competition category.
Elias Belkeddar
The Franco-Algerian producer-director’s “Omar La Fraise” follows the story of Omar Zerrouki, a gangster who leaves France for Algiers to escape a life of crime. The film will show in the Midnight Screenings at Cannes.
Asmae El-Moudir
The Moroccan filmmaker will screen “The Mother of All Lies” — a documentary that explores the events surrounding the deadly bread riots that shook El-Moudir’s impoverished Casablanca neighborhood in 1981 — in the Un Certain Regard category.
Mohamed Kordofani
The Sudanese filmmaker’s “Goodbye Julia,” also screening in the Un Certain Regard category, is set just before the secession of South Sudan, and follows a married former singer from the north who seeks redemption after causing the death of a southern man.
Kamal Lazraq
The Moroccan filmmaker’s debut feature “Les Meutes,” featuring in the Un Certain Regard category, stars Ayoub Elaid and Abdellatif Masstouri as a father-and-son duo.
Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami
Iranian filmmakers Ali Asgari (pictured) and Alireza Khatami will show their film “Terrestrial Verses” in the Un Certain Regard category of the competition.
DUBAI: US pop superstar Taylor Swift this week showed off a floral gown by renowned Lebanese couturier Elie Saab during a concert in Tampa, Florida.
The Grammy-winning singer, known for hits such as “Shake it Off” and “You Belong with Me,” wore a gold embellished gown with floral tulle detailing on a floor-length dress.
“Taylor Swift performed onstage in Elie Saab haute couture during her ‘Taylor Swift — The Eras Tour’ in Tampa,” the designer wrote on Instagram, sharing a picture of the star.
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The 33-year-old hitmaker performed to more than 70,000 fans in three-hour show at the Raymond James Stadium, running through hits from her 17-year career, including “Bad Blood,” “Lavender Haze” and “Invisible String.”
The concert was her first since her reported split from her boyfriend, actor Joe Alwyn. “Is it just me or do we have a lot of things to catch up on?” Swift joked with the audience.
It is not the first time Swift has championed an Arab designer during her world tour. Last month, she donned a custom-made gown by Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad in a peachy hue with starburst sequin work.
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“@TaylorSwift wore for her Night 2 of The Eras Tour a custom #ZMCouture pink tulle ball gown, with a starburst bodice and cross strap back (sic),” the fashion house posted on Instagram, referring to the look that was styled by Joseph Cassell Falconer.
Swift’s “Eras Tour” kicked off on March 17 in Glendale.
The singer has been a fan of Murad’s creations. In November 2021, she appeared on the “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” wearing a white mini-dress from the Lebanese designer’s Resort 2022 collection.
The design featured short sleeves and oversized pockets on the front, with gold embellishments along the neckline, sleeves and pockets.
Swift accessorized the look with matching gold pumps from Christian Louboutin and Nickho Rey earrings.
DUBAI: Dutch Palestinian model Bella Hadid was named this week as one of “the most influential people in the world” by New York-based magazine Time.
The 26-year-old supermodel took to Instagram to say that she was “proud” to be selected and to join the 2023 list alongside other “talented, hard-working and life-changing people.
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“These are human beings challenging government systems, inventing world-changing products, and being a light for many, in a world of darkness,” she said on Instagram to her 59 million followers.
Hadid, who made her runway debut aged 17, opened up about the responsibility she felt after being included in the Time list.
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“The truth is, to say I am anywhere near as influential as some of these big names, is a huge statement to make, but please know, I can feel the weight and understand my responsibilities within it,” she said. “To be recognized for the work I’ve done, just makes me want to work harder to be a part of the change we want to see in this world. I know my mission is much larger than what I have even touched the surface on now, and I will continue to fight until change has been made.”
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Hadid, who is the daughter of property developer Mohamed Hadid and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Yolanda Hadid, promised her supporters to continue to advocate for mental health and chronic illness support, spread a message of kindness and shed light on the refugee crisis and “systematic operation.”
She added: “Helping others is my passion and I will never stop, no matter what. It’s important for me to always speak my truth, and be as genuine as I can with you all.”
DUBAI: Wedding season is here, and celebrity-loved Arab designers Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad are ready for it!
This week, the Lebanese couturiers presented their latest bridal spring/summer 2024 collections during New York Bridal Fashion Week.
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Saab’s collection “is an imagined universe of indulgent grace and irridescent serenity suspended somewhere between the heavens and earth,” the designer said in an Instagram post.
Much like the flowering realms of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, the collection endeavors to capture a contemporary and fleeting moment by a sense of wonder.
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The collection features head-turning dresses that are pleated, satin, pearl embellished, figure-hugging and voluminous, offering something for both daring and traditional brides.
Murad’s collection is inspired by traditional moldings and refined handmade tiles. Architectural motifs are embroidered on vaporous tulle dresses unraveling into A-line silhouettes cinched at the waist with a detachable bow.
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The collection also features organza dresses, mermaid silhouettes and gowns with voluminous sleeves, plunging necklines and open backs that combine for a charming finish.
The wedding dresses are embellished with floral designs, beaded with shimmery crystals or decorated with lace.
The collection flirts with hues of vanilla, flaunting the epitome of romance.
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Zuhair and Murad are not the only Arab designers who presented their bridal collections during New York Bridal Fashion Week.
Syrian designer Rami Al-Ali unveiled his collection, “White 5,” which features 12 wedding dresses that explore themes of femininity and modernity.
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Establishing a collection for the modern-day bride, the designer used his signature aesthetic to deconstruct and reimagine traditional looks.
Traditional, princess-style gowns and voluminous full skirts are met with structured bodices, while elaborate architectural detailing stands out on sleek and sensual silhouettes.
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Meanwhile, Lebanese design duo Azzi & Osta, loved by US superstar Beyonce, singer Becky G and model Jasmine Tookes, announced this week the launch of their first-ever bridal line.
The collection is titled “New Beginnings” and represents the duo’s venture into tailoring pieces also made for the modern bride. The dresses feature puffy tulle, organza, floral beading and embroidered designs.
DUBAI: Saudi doctor-turned-artist Hend Al-Mansour is the eldest of 12 children. Initially, she did not seem destined to make a career in the arts, instead becoming a doctor. But, she says, “I was born with an inclination towards art.”
She remembers being three years old and watching her mom drawing. “I think my mother was the first one who introduced me to art,” she tells Arab News. “I just continued doing it all my life, even when I was studying medicine. My textbooks were full of drawings.”
Al-Mansour traveled to Cairo to study medicine when she was just 16, later returning to Saudi Arabia, where she worked as a general practitioner.
“Both my parents wanted to educate all their daughters,” says Al-Mansour. “They had this idea of educating girls and (that women should have) their own voices. I got that sense of gender equality from my parents.”
In 1997, aged 40, Al-Mansour accepted a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in America, where she has lived ever since. She is based in St. Paul, Minnesota and last year designed a large, vibrant mural there, in memory of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020. Entitled “Faces of Minneapolis,” the theme of the mural was healing. Al-Mansour drew five women of different ethnicities and professions — from an artist to a doctor. They sit within a border decorated with Islamic patterns and the charming flowers of Minnesota.
The portrayal of women is at the heart of Al-Mansour’s practice, which includes painting, printing, and digital art. “I don’t want to portray women as victims,” she says. “I want to give them their place and voice, especially if I’m talking about historical women.”
She has previously created intimate chamber-like installations with openings shaped like a mihrab, in which the viewer comes face-to-face with a depicted female. “By having people entering this private space, they are close to these women,” says Al-Mansour. “They know how she feels. She’s human, equal to a man.”
DUBAI: As the executive chef of Addmind Hospitality, Carlos De Los Mozos has been responsible for designing a number of menus. Most recently, he created one for Babylon, one of the newest venues in the popular Dubai International Financial Center area, where many of the city’s best restaurants are located. What sets Babylon apart is that it’s a place to get dinner and see a show at the same time. But, as De Los Mozos stresses, the entertainment element shouldn’t detract from the food.
“Babylon is cabaret, and people supposedly don’t really care about food in cabaret, right? It’s all about ticking boxes,” he says. “But one reason I joined was because the CEO wanted culinary as well. The food has to be good. People will come for the show, but they’re not going to keep coming for the show. They’ll come for the ambience, and they’ll come for the food. So (we wanted to) build a real triangle, where the service, the show and the food are impeccable.
“The key is simplicity,” he continues. “Every elaboration has to happen before you open. It’s all about being ready. It’s like Formula One; once you’re on the circuit, you have to drive. People will talk about strategy, but you’re on autopilot. All the prep happens before.”
De Los Mozos loves cooking and he loves food; that much is clear. He also loves to talk, speaking passionately, entertainingly, and at length about his journey from his hometown of Madrid to Dubai, via stints in South America, North Africa, and Saudi Arabia at all levels of his profession.
Here, he discusses seasoning, shouting, and spices and provides a tasty crab salad recipe for Ramadan.
Q: When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
A: I didn’t season enough. You know why? I was watching too many cooks on TV shows. I grew up watching cooking shows in Spain and thinking that a pinch of salt would season a whole pot of soup. No. Of course not. If you want your food to be tasty, you’ve got to season properly. And you’ve got to add enough fat, or oil, because that carries the flavor. My team at Babylon taste all the time. This is something I like to teach people: I don’t add the salt at the beginning or end of the cooking; I add a little salt every time I add another ingredient. And every time I add something, I taste. Because I like to know how my dish tastes half-done, or a quarter-done.
What’s your top tip for amateur cooks?
Invest in equipment. Get a good knife and get a good pan — and they don’t have to be expensive. You should never buy pans with plastic handles, though; they melt away. And you can’t put them in the oven. And besides that, pans with plastic handles are usually very thin, so they don’t retain the heat. So, for example, if you put a steak on it, the steak absorbs all the heat and then you have nothing. But if you’re working with a good heavy pan, it’s possible to make great steaks. And a good sharp knife is very, very important. Also: Give it time. Some things have to be cooked low and slow.
What single ingredient can improve any dish?
Hmm. Salt? Butter? But let’s say intention. To cook with intention is the best thing you can do. I know people who cook with no intention. They just do it. That’s sad.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
I can’t tell you one. I mean, there’s a day for shawarma, a day for Japanese… a day for fasting as well. But I guess I could say spicy. Yeah. I have this almost sick challenge right now with my wife; we’ve made ourselves sick with spicy food. We’ll be, like, ‘You can’t eat that.’ ‘Ha! Hold my water.’ (Laughs.)
What’s the spiciest cuisine you’ve had in Dubai?
Sri Lankan or Thai. Or Chinese cuisine, if you ask for it spicy. I’ve started asking for medium at Thai restaurants — medium Thai, not medium-Western — which is still very spicy, but at least I can taste the food and I don’t suffer. I’m getting to the age where I get heartburn and I don’t sleep very well if the food is very spicy.
What’s your go-to dish, if you have to do something very quickly?
Smashed burger. My wife loves it and it’s very easy. I can make it in seven minutes from scratch. You smash the patty against the pan and you create a crazy crust, which is where the flavor is. And I love grilled cheese sandwiches.
What request from customers most annoys you?
Salt and pepper. Or sauce on the side. I’m not making you a steak so you can play with it; I’m charging you for preparing something that you just have to put in your mouth. That’s what a restaurant is. There’s no dish here that needs extra seasoning. Any kind of dish alteration or any kind of new trend in altering dishes really drives me a little bit crazy. I only give sauces that are made in-house. You want Hellman’s? I won’t serve it.
What’s your favorite dish to cook?
Spanish omelet. Because it’s very simple, but it’s very difficult to get it right. There are only three ingredients, so the proportions are very specific. You have to really know how it should taste. The difference between a good omelet and a bad one is very slim, and 99 percent of them are bad. When I’m in Madrid, I don’t mind taking a 45-minute metro ride to eat a good Spanish omelet.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?
Look, every executive chef in Dubai knows how to cook. And I’m pretty sure that — even the restaurants you don’t like — if they were to cook only for you, you’d love it. Where people fail — including myself — is translating that into something you can serve to 200 people at the same time. You switch to survival mode: Put the food on the plate because the guests are hungry. This makes you negligent. And when you neglect food, it doesn’t taste the same.
What are you like in the kitchen? Are you a disciplinarian? Or are you quite laidback?
I shout a lot. But I do it to raise the energy, not to abuse anyone. I believe a kitchen should be loaded with energy. Like many restaurants, after the kitchen briefing, we’ll do some kind of ritual. It gets crazy. I want people on the top floor to hear us; I want the walls to vibrate. We hit tables, we make noise, the air gets loaded with electricity. It gets the energy up. It really helps. Because if the first service goes fantastic, it will all go fantastic. If the guys are sleepy — because we eat just before we open, so they might feel heavy — they’ll go slow on the first tables, and when you start dragging, believe me, by the time you realize, you’re in it way too deep, and it becomes about survival. That’s when mistakes happen.
Chef Carlos’ king crab salad with brown butter yuzu dressing
For the brown butter dressing:
INGREDIENTS: 125gm butter, 100gm white balsamic vinegar; 140gm extra virgin olive oil; 5gm salt; 5gm chopped red chili; 15gr yuzu juice (or a mix of lemon, lime and orange juice if yuzu is not available)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place butter in pan over medium heat and melt. Stir occasionally while allowing the solids to brown without burning.
2. Once butter is a brown hazelnut color, smells nutty and tastes toasted, transfer it to a bowl using a fine mesh strainer so it cools.
3. Once the butter cools completely, combine the rest of the ingredients, without any salt, in a bowl and whisk until emulsified.
4. Add salt to taste, add more seasoning if required, and set aside.
For the king crab salad
INGREDIENTS: 200gm steamed king crab leg flesh; 2gm chopped parsley; 4gm diced red chili; 4gm diced banana shallot; 2gm chopped chives; Yuzu or lemon for zesting; Maldon salt; freshly ground pepper; fine chili flakes; olive oil; lime wedges
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put the crab in a cheese cloth or kitchen towel and squeeze to remove any excess water.
2. Place the crab in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix. Add the parsley, red chilies, shallot and chives and mix again.
3. Add the brown butter dressing, mix well and taste for seasoning. (NB: The dressing shouldn’t cover the flavor of the crab, you can always serve more dressing on the side.)
4. Grate the yuzu or any citrus zest mix and put on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little fresh ground pepper.
5. Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze.