AUTHOR Beverly Andrews
YOKO ONO: MUSIC OF THE MIND
“YOKO ONO: MUSIC OF THE MIND” at Tate Modern is a profound, participatory journey through the life and work of one of contemporary art’s true pioneers. From her early instruction pieces to her enduring activism, this retrospective reveals the depth and vision of an artist whose influence continues to resonate.
VISIONS OF QUEERNESS
Derek Jarman’s Sebastiane and Paul Schrader’s Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters were screened this summer by the BFI in two distinct strands, yet together they form a powerful meditation on queer identity, masculinity, and artistic resistance. Created in eras of censorship and constraint, both films remain landmark works that continue to inspire.
Tribeca Film Festival 2024
From powerful reexaminations of historical experiments to deeply personal portraits of artists and coming-of-age tales, this year’s Tribeca Film Festival offered a vibrant and emotionally rich slate of documentaries and features. Highlights include The Stanford Prison Experiment: Unlocking the Truth, Luther: Never Too Much, Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara, and more.
The London International Festival of Theatre 2024
From futuristic food markets to raw political monologues and genre-defying dance, this year’s London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT) once again proves that performance art can provoke, enlighten, and transform. Highlights include Bat Night Market, The Land Acknowledgement, and L’Homme Rare—each offering audiences a radically different, yet deeply resonant experience.
Chineke at the Southbank
Chineke! returned to London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall with a vibrant and moving programme featuring works by Fela Sowande, Cassie Kinoshi, and Max Richter. Blending new compositions with a bold reimagining of a classical favourite, the orchestra once again proved its importance in reshaping the classical music landscape.
OMEN
In his striking directorial debut, Belgian rapper Baloji blends magical realism with cultural introspection in Omen, a haunting tale of tradition, identity, and return. Set for UK release this spring, the film has already gained international acclaim and was Belgium’s submission for the 96th Academy Awards.
Showing the Unimaginable
In The Zone of Interest and Occupied City, filmmakers Jonathan Glazer and Steve McQueen explore the Holocaust and Nazi occupation through radically different lenses—one through the chilling banality of evil, the other through haunting reflections on memory and place. Each film forces us to confront how history seeps into the present.
A New Dawn for Italian Cinema in the UK
CinemaItaliaUK has launched a new streaming platform dedicated to Italian cinema, offering UK audiences access to a curated selection of classic and contemporary films. With titles ranging from Fellini’s 8½ to hidden gems like A Special Day, the player provides a timely cultural window into the richness of Italy’s cinematic legacy.