JEDDAH: Lebanese soprano Hiba Tawaji is preparing to perform her forthcoming concert at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh on Dec. 6.
She will be the first Lebanese singer to perform in the Kingdom and has already expressed her pride via Twitter for participating in the event.
Tawaji found the concert a historic step in the Saudi cultural openness project.
As the concert approaches, the Lebanese star, who two days ago released “Sawt El Eid” or “Voice of the Feast” from her new album “Hallelujah,” announced that she had prepared a repertoire including songs from her three albums, in addition to famous international and Arab songs, with video and “graphics” accompanying her songs on stage.
In an interview with Sayidaty, Tawaji reiterated that the openness in Saudi Arabia is very positive.
She said: “It augurs well in all areas, especially for decisions concerning women, which have long supported their rights, provided they do not conflict with the basic principles, such as the preservation of femininity and significant and respectable principles.”
She added: “I am very happy and I am honored to be the first Lebanese singer to perform in Saudi Arabia, especially as the concert will be supported by the General Entertainment Authority, which is a landmark in women’s rights and cultural openness.”
She said she was preparing a new album in both French and English, and that some of the songs would be released next year.
“At the same time I prepare for a group of performances, but all of them are under study, in addition to the Christmas album, which is entitled ‘Hallelujah’ and will be released sooner. It was produced by Osama Rahbani. We have released ‘Eid El-Hobb’ or ‘Valentine’s Day,’ but all songs will be released successively,” she concluded.
Ahead of first Saudi gig, Hiba Tawaji all praise for Kingdom
Ahead of first Saudi gig, Hiba Tawaji all praise for Kingdom
Turkish-language drama ‘Yellow Letters’ wins Berlin Film Festival’s top prize
- The report did not say who was to blame for the attacks
BERLIN: “Yellow Letters,” a Turkish-language drama about what happens to a marriage put under extraordinary political pressure, won the Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear top prize on Saturday night.
The drama filmed in Germany but set in Turkiye follows a married actor and playwright who have to leave behind their comfortable lives after the husband is targeted by the state for posting critical content online.
“I know what (this win) means to my cast and crew who came from Turkiye, who now are getting a visibility that is on an international scale,” Turkish-German director Ilker Catak told Reuters after the award ceremony.
The director, whose previous Berlin entry “The Teachers’ Lounge” was nominated for an Oscar, said it was important that the film was not just about Turkiye, but Germany as well.
“There is a sign that says 1933 and what we’ve seen in this country before, we must never forget,” he said, referring to the year that Adolf Hitler came to power.
This year’s jury president, legendary German director Wim Wenders, praised the winner as “a movie that speaks up very clearly about the political language of totalitarianism.”
In total, 22 films had been in the running.
POLITICAL FESTIVAL
The festival maintained its reputation as the most overtly political of its peers, Venice and Cannes, with the war in Gaza in particular dominating public discussions about the films.
“If this Berlinale has been emotionally charged, that’s not a failure of the Berlinale, and it’s not a failure of cinema,” said festival director Tricia Tuttle at the opening ceremony, using the festival’s nickname.
Wenders used his final appearance as jury president to urge filmmakers and activists to act as allies, not rivals, after his comment that filmmakers should not be political caused Indian novelist Arundhati Roy to pull out.
Several award winners used their speech to express solidarity with the Palestinians and other oppressed peoples.
“The least we can do here is to break the silence and remind them that they are not really alone,” said Turkish filmmaker Emin Alper, whose film “Salvation” took the second-place Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize.
Palestinian-Syrian director Abdallah Al-Khatib, whose “Chronicles From the Siege” won the Perspectives section for emerging filmmakers, criticized the German government for its stance on Gaza despite concerns about crossing a red line.
“I was under a lot of pressure to participate in Berlinale for one reason only, to stand here and say: ‘The Palestinians will be free,’” he said.
SANDRA HUELLER WINS AGAIN
German actor Sandra Hueller, who starred in 2024 Oscar-winning films “Anatomy of a Fall” and “Zone of Interest,” continued her winning streak by taking home best actor for the period piece “Rose,” in which she dresses as a man.
“To me, it’s special because I won my first-ever recognition as an actor in a film at this festival 20 years ago,” Hueller told Reuters, who won best actress in 2006 for “Requiem.”
“Queen at Sea,” a drama that follows French star Juliette Binoche as she deals with her mother’s advanced dementia and its effects on her marriage, won two prizes: the third-place jury prize and best supporting actor, shared by its two elderly performers, Anna Calder-Marshall and Tom Courtenay.
Director Lance Hammer, who last competed at the festival in 2008, said he hoped that maybe “people will see this and feel some comfort or relief that they’re not alone.”
Director Grant Gee won best director for “Everybody Digs Bill Evans,” a black-and-white biographical drama starring Norwegian actor Anders Danielsen Lie as the US jazz pianist.
“Nina Roza,” about an art curator who returns to Bulgaria to verify whether a child painting prodigy is genuine, won best screenplay while “Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)” took the prize for outstanding artistic contribution.
