Hollywood has long been a powerful shaper of global culture. [...] But increasingly films such as “Sivas” and other foreign-language movies, including those nominated for this year’s Academy Awards, are chipping at the edges of American dominance. 

The colorful filmmaker aims to build a solid relationship between filmmakers and other cultural agents in both Morocco and India. He has participated in several film festivals, including the Festival International Du Cinema D’auteur De Rabat, which took place last week in Rabat, as part of an effort in “parallel diplomacy."

Secretary of State John Kerry went to Hollywood this week in search of ideas to counter the Islamic State’s appeal. And to be fair, he was onto something: the power of narratives and emotional appeal of stories have a role to play in beating back a hateful ideology. And American moviemakers know how to tell great stories with global appeal, as foreign box office sales can attest. The medium is right, but the message — or rather, the “American brand” — is not.

Spread across three weekends, the Tournées French Film Festival is returning to screen a vibrant cross-section of dramas, thrillers, comedies and one animated film surrounding murder, treachery and illicit activities.
Dubbed “C’est une crime!” or “It’s a crime,” audiences will follow the thread through award-winning cinema brought to Northern Arizona University to share in francophone culture.

Everybody wants to be in the film business, it seems. Web retailer Amazon makes shows. Netflix used to only deliver content, but now makes its own series. One of the first things e-commerce giant Alibaba did after going public was to set up a film division. The reason for the rush is, in a word, branding.

Organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Assam, in association with the North East Writers’ Forum, with an aim to promote tourism as well as the rich literary tradition of the State, the three-day literary extravaganza will facilitate a cultural exchange and interaction among the writers of Italy and those of the region. A group of writers from Italy, including Sergio Scapagnini who is a well-known Italian film producer, are here to attend the festival.

The Qatar China 2016 Year of Culture launched with a spectacular show featuring folkdances, songs and acrobatics by Chinese performers at a packed Katara Drama Theatre last night.