Author: Ewang Johnson
The wrestler turned Hollywood superstar gets vulnerable in this bruising indie drama about mixed martial arts fighting. He’s “touching” and could well be nominated for awards.Dwayne Johnson may not use his professional wrestling nickname on his film credits, but every time he’s on the big screen, it still feels appropriate to call him The Rock. That’s how sturdy he seems to be. It’s not just that his heroic characters can shrug off punishment that would pulverise the rest of us, it’s also that they grin pearly white grins while they’re doing so. Johnson’s Hollywood career is built on the impression…
Climate change in Africa is reshaping economies, ecosystems, and everyday life. But amid the devastation lies an often-overlooked truth: the crisis is also unlocking pathways for green growth, innovation, and a reimagined future. The continent is home to some of the world’s richest renewable energy resources. With over 60% of the globe’s best solar potential, Africa has the ability to leapfrog fossil fuels and power its economies sustainably. Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate, one of the largest solar plants in the world, is already proving how large-scale renewable projects can light up cities while reducing emissions. Kenya, meanwhile, generates more than 70%…
This week, arts24 welcomes one of Detroit’s finest: DJ and producer Jeff Mills, who is taking part in the latest edition of Paris’s “Jazz à la Villette” festival as part of Tomorrow Comes The Harvest, a collective he created with the late Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. He tells Marjorie Hache about performing live alongside the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra and their future album “The Forbidden Planet” that will be out in 2026. They also look at new releases by David Byrne, The Hives and Suede. Source link
Featuring a much-anticipated performance by Jude Law as Vladimir Putin, this new drama looks to explore how the Russian president came to power – and presents him as mild-mannered.Olivier Assayas’s new drama The Wizard of the Kremlin, which has just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, features Jude Law as the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. But the film may disappoint anyone expecting they might see Law rage and threaten his underlings as he did when he played another real-life ruler, Henry VIII, in 2023’s Firebrand. His Putin (who speaks English dialogue with an English accent) is a calm, mild-mannered figure,…
New BCG and QED report reveals the fintech industry’s strongest fundamentals to date—poised for its next wave of disruption through breakthrough technologies, disciplined growth, and new market penetration Global fintech is entering a new era of maturity and momentum. According to a new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and QED Investors, Fintech’s Next Chapter: Scaled Winners and Emerging Disruptors, the sector has emerged from a tough funding environment stronger, more disciplined, and with greater growth prospects than ever. In 2024, fintech revenues grew by 21%—up from 13% in 2023—marking a threefold acceleration over the financial services industry at large. Meanwhile, the average EBITDA…
Whereas Madonna’s overt sexuality felt radical, Carpenter’s has a more tongue-in-cheek feel – to the point where some have questioned whether it’s a marketing ploy. Criticism intensified in June when she unveiled the cover for Man’s Best Friend, featuring the singer on her knees as a man grabs her hair. It drew ire from several quarters – some feminists, women’s charities and fans thought it was degrading to women. Conservatives thought it was overtly sexual. Others defended the singer, calling the reaction puritanical and suggesting the image was satire. Carpenter later revealed an alternative “approved by God” cover – and…
Across much of Africa, women continue to face significant barriers in accessing the rights, opportunities, and markets available to men. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the gender gap in sub-Saharan Africa remains at 32% across four critical dimensions: political participation, economic opportunity, education, and health. At the current pace of progress, the IFC has warned, it will take an estimated 95 years for the continent to achieve gender parity. “Insurance isn’t just about covering losses, it’s a powerful tool for empowerment,” says Molebatsi Langa, Head Retail Strategic Accounts at Old Mutual Insure. “Women often balance a range of…
Raising awareness about the fragility of our oceans, our land and our Indigenous heritage is the challenge facing a new generation of couturiers. For autumn-winter 2025/26, Iris van Herpen has created a living dress, Imane Ayissi wants the Earth to regenerate naturally, Grace Lillian Lee is celebrating her Australian ancestors and Stéphane Rolland has opened up a dialogue with music. As for Clara Daguin, her motto is: if you want to save others, first save yourself. Source link
Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel features the “ridiculously good-looking” Jacob Elordi as the monster – which results in a muddled film.Guillermo del Toro has been obsessed by Frankenstein for decades. He has talked in countless interviews about wanting to adapt Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, and his last film, Pinocchio (2022), borrowed so much from it that it was almost an unofficial adaptation. But now at last he has made an official one, and so, understandably, he hasn’t held back. His Frankenstein, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, is a no-expense-spared passion project, an…
The Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) is proud to announce that two NEWF-supported films, ‘Wild Hope: Pangolin Protectors’ and ‘O mar para Analine (Sea to Analine)’, both set against a Mozambican backdrop, have been named as finalists at the prestigious 2025 Jackson Wild Media Awards. These awards are aimed at celebrating excellence and innovation in nature, science and conservation storytelling. “This recognition is not only a celebration of the filmmakers’ craft, it is a call to the global storytelling community to listen more closely to voices from Africa and the global south, to shift the lens through which conservation…