Lebanon, Kuwait ban ‘Death on the Nile’ film starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot
Updated 11 February 2022
Arab News
DUBAI: Lebanon and Kuwait have banned Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s upcoming movie “Death on the Nile” from hitting theaters this weekend due to political concerns, according to the Deadline.
Gadot served for two years in the Israeli military — a requirement of all citizens — before pursuing her modeling and acting careers.
Earlier this week, Kuwait’s Al-Qabas newspaper revealed that the decision was taken following demands on social media for the film to be banned.
Online platform users pointed to Gadot’s praise of the Israeli army and her criticism of the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas during the 2014 war in Gaza. The fighting left 2,251 dead on the Palestinian side, the majority civilians, and 74 on the Israeli side, most of them soldiers.
Lebanon previously blocked the release of “Wonder Woman” in 2017 and its sequel “Wonder Woman 1984” in 2021, both of which starred Gadot.
“Death on the Nile,” directed by British filmmaker Kenneth Branagh, is currently showing in other countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The film’s story is one of the most famous works of the late British author Agatha Christie, dubbed the Queen of Crime.
DUBAI: Siblings Razan and Ahmed Hassan presented their Fall/Winter 2026–2027 collection at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, continuing the rapid rise of their KML label.
The duo has gained international recognition since launching the brand in 2022, most recently being named semifinalists for the LVMH Prize — a prestigious annual award for emerging designers.
Creative director Ahmed’s minimalist designs and sharp tailoring mean KML — owned by his sister, Razan — has built its identity around reimagining traditional Saudi garments through a contemporary lens. Jackets are paired with shawl-like elements, large leather belts recall those historically worn by Bedouin men, and skirts nod to silhouettes once worn by men in the Eastern Province, Jazan and the Hijaz.
The collection leans on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions. (Getty Images)
The approach is reflected in the new collection, which features a restrained palette of black, white and muted earth tones, leaning on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions.
Flowing skirts, structured wrap tops and robe-like coats dominate the lineup, with some looks referencing classical draping while others lean toward utilitarian dressing, defined by sharp shoulders, cinched waists and clean, architectural lines.
In a previous interview with Arab News, Ahmed said their grandmother was a huge influence on their lives as he and his sister grew up in Riyadh. He fondly recalled both her progressive nature and inimitable style. As a young boy, Ahmed would often accompany her to fabric shops so she could get her designs stitched by a local tailor. The experience left an impression, though fashion was not an obvious initial career path.
With no formal fashion education programs for men in Saudi Arabia, Ahmed instead studied architecture and became an intern at Zaha Hadid Architects, where he developed an appreciation for structure and form. Razan, meanwhile, pursued law at Prince Sultan University and she went on to practice full-time.
“One summer, we both realized we weren’t doing what we truly wanted to do, so I decided to go to the UK to study creative writing, and Ahmed went to Central Saint Martins (in London) for a few courses,” Razan explained.
That was the catalyst for KML. In August 2023, they launched their debut capsule collection and towards the end of that year they applied to the Saudi 100 Brands program. The Fashion Commission recognized their potential, helping KML launch collections at fashion weeks in Paris, Riyadh and Milan.
