AUTHOR Beverly Andrews
Contemporary African Art through a Different Lens
In the past decade, contemporary African art has moved from the margins to the global stage, with London’s 1:54 art fair playing a pivotal role in that shift. From the hyperreal portraits of Nigeria’s Ayogu Kingsley to the mystical, myth-infused visions of Brazil’s Gustavo Nazareno, and the deeply personal, multidisciplinary work of Moses Quiquine, artists from Africa and the diaspora are redefining what global contemporary art looks like. Once dismissed by critics like the late Brian Sewell, Black art now commands centre stage, with even institutions like Tate Modern celebrating its brilliance. This is a new era—bold, spiritual, unapologetically complex—and, above all, undeniable.
BFI London Film Festival 2023
The BFI London Film Festival returned this autumn with a powerful lineup of films that explore identity, conflict, and resilience. From post-genocide Rwanda to Franco-era Spain and Mandatory Palestine, this year’s standout selections offered deeply human stories that illuminate the political and personal struggles shaping our world today.
Tina Turner
Tina Turner no solo fue una leyenda del rock: fue un símbolo de resiliencia. De una juventud marcada por el abuso a la cima del éxito mundial, inspiró a millones de mujeres a romper el silencio y reinventarse. Con su fuerza, su voz y su espiritualidad, abrió un camino que muchas otras han seguido. Su legado es mucho más que música: es libertad, poder y renacimiento.
Homecoming, a Sami documentary at TIFF
At this year’s TIFF, Homecoming and A Road to a Village stood out not just for their storytelling, but for the worlds they revealed. From the sacred repatriation of Sámi artifacts to the quiet unraveling of a Nepalese village under the weight of modernization, both films confront the hidden costs of history and progress—and leave us transformed for having witnessed them.
Rays of Light in the Midst of Darkness
In a time of growing global division, three thoughtful works—Red, White & Royal Blue, Heartstopper, and the opera Omar—offer moving stories that center love, identity, and quiet resilience. Whether through the joy of queer romance or the strength of personal conviction, each reminds us of the power of simply telling one’s story.
JOSEPHINE BAKER CONTADA POR BRICKTOP
“Al cerrar los ojos ahora, veo al Paris tal como lo hemos conocido. Antes, era una ciudad diferente, una ciudad de colores y luz. En aquella época, éramos tan pocos que atraíamos todas las miradas como si fuéramos seres raros y exóticos.”
La mort d’une icône : Tina Turner
Tina Turner n’était pas seulement une voix puissante ou une silhouette inoubliable sur scène. Elle était un symbole de résilience, de transformation et de liberté. De son enfance marquée par l’abandon à la violence conjugale, de la gloire étouffante à la renaissance triomphale, elle a traversé les épreuves avec une force rare. Ce portrait retrace le parcours extraordinaire d’une femme qui, par la musique, la spiritualité et le courage, a inspiré des générations à se relever, à rêver, et à croire en un avenir meilleur.
The World through Egyptian Eyes
For too long, Western cinephilia has drawn its borders tightly around Hollywood and a handful of European auteurs. But with its richly curated retrospective, the BFI Southbank opens a long-overdue window onto the visionary world of Youssef Chahine — a filmmaker whose work is as politically fearless as it is emotionally resonant, as grounded in Egyptian reality as it is steeped in cinematic fantasy.