AUTHOR Beverly Andrews
Nigerian Modernism
“Nigerian Modernism” at Tate Modern offers a groundbreaking look at 50 years of artistic innovation, tracing Nigeria’s creative evolution from colonial rule to independence. With works from over 50 artists, alongside the return of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, this review explores a vibrant period when Nigerian artists reshaped national identity and global modernism.
Absent – Iraqi War Drama Brought Powerfully to the Stage
Absent is a poignant and sharply relevant adaptation of Betool Khedairi’s Iraqi novel, exploring life in a Baghdad apartment block after the first Gulf War. Through Dalal’s perspective, the play reveals how sanctions, conflict and fear erode trust and community, reminding us that when the elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.
Lee Miller: A Life Through the Lens
Tate Britain’s major retrospective of Lee Miller celebrates one of the 20th century’s most complex and brilliant photographers — a fashion model turned Surrealist muse turned fearless war correspondent. Featuring over 230 works, the exhibition traces a life lived through art, conflict, and reinvention.
Bullyache: Who Hurt You?
Bullyache’s Who Hurt You? launches the Queen Elizabeth Hall’s season with a striking, genre-defying mix of music, dance, and cinematic imagery. From Deyn’s airborne opening vocals to Barbs’ explosive piano solo, the piece rejects conventional narrative and instead offers vivid, unsettling moments that explore the artist’s need for audience approval. The result is a provocative work that stays with you.
The Films That Refused to Be Forgotten
With over 247 films screened at this year’s BFI London Film Festival, only a handful left an enduring resonance—films that confronted grief, reflected our political anxieties, and celebrated cultural identity. From Benedict Cumberbatch’s most powerful performance to a revelatory Hamlet starring Riz Ahmed, this review turns to the films that go beyond awards buzz, speaking instead to the depths of the human experience.
Tribeca 2025: Voces de identidad
El Festival de Cine de Tribeca 2025 reafirmó su papel como un espacio de resistencia cultural y política. Entre sus estrenos más destacados estuvieron Rebecca, el documental sobre Becky G; Happy Birthday, de la directora egipcia Sarah Goher; y Runa Simi, un conmovedor proyecto peruano que recupera el quechua a través del cine.
Nuns Versus the Vatican
At TIFF, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet lit up Oscar buzz, but the most urgent film was Lorena Luciano’s Nuns Versus the Vatican — a devastating exposé of clerical abuse and the Church’s silence.
Nonnes contre le Vatican
Au Festival de Toronto, Chloé Zhao a captivé avec Hamnet, mais le film le plus marquant fut “Nuns vs Vatican” de Lorena Luciano — un documentaire-choc sur les abus de religieuses et le silence de l’Église.